Alpha Keys
by Brittany Lynn2
Summary: The Fairy Tail guild and the White Sea guild team up to stop the next evil threatening to take over . . . Loyalties will be challenged. Love will be found. Lives will be lost.
1. Prologue

Fairy Tail is owned by Hiro Mashima, but I am in love with the series and couldn't help but try my hand at writing. I also really love Desna's Pradesh family characters and will be including them in my story as well.

First fan fiction I have ever written, so please be kind and constructive criticism is encouraged!

 **Prologue - Lucy POV**

 _It's hard to believe that a year has gone by since the defeat of Zeref and Acnologia. It was by far the hardest battle that Fairy Tail has had to endure, and the destruction that happened in Fiore was no small thing either. Granted when does Fairy Tail ever do anything small? Or not destroy anything?_

 _Erza is an amazing Master, especially since Jellal and her married shortly after the battle was won. They have an adorable baby girl named Violet, who looks exactly like her mother, but thankfully has her father's calm demeanor. Jellal is excellent when it comes to helping his wife with Fairy Tail's enormous amounts of paperwork, and Erza occasionally still bashes Natsu & Grey's heads when they are fighting. Gramps shows ups to help out occasionally, but he's mostly here to get in cuddles with the babies._

 _Grey and Juvia eloped, much to Mira's dismay. Juvia has turned down her stalker tendencies and no longer sees me as a love rival, thank Mavis! They claim they are going to wait a while before having kids - Cana has got the bets rolling on that one._

 _Gajeel and Levy became mates and have twin boys. Slate is an iron dragon slayer, with the same temperament as his dad with sapphire colored hair. Gale definitely takes after his mother in every way and is an ice dragon slayer. Thanks to some guild members we now have magical bracelets for the children to wear until they are able to properly use their magic, which everyone is thankful for. No more freezing temperatures when Gale is crying!_

 _Sting and Yukino have become mates as well and are expecting twin boys - apparently the male gene is strong amongst dragon slayers. After our last battle Sting disbanded the Sabertooth guild and then joined up with Fairy Tail. Rogue joined Fairy Tail as well and has just mated Lisanna._

 _Cobra also joined Fairy Tail to stay close to his suspected mate, Kinana. That is a slow moving relationship, but here are bets out to see when that will happen as well and Mira is in full matchmaker mode._

 _Evergreen and Elfman have just recently found out that they are expecting a baby girl - thanks to a little help from Natsu yelling out that she smelled different. Mira fainted and was out for a while after that news. Laxus has also, temporarily, suspended Ever from the team due to her condition and the risk of her being in the field._

 _Our little Wendy is now 16 and has turned into a lovely young lady. She's about my height now and, much to her delight, is a small C cup! She has been working hard with Porlyusica on her training, while also becoming a certified midwife. Which is good, because with everyone popping babies out they are going to need her._

 _Team Natsu is longer together. With Erza becoming Master and Grey and Juvia's budding new relationship it just made sense for the team to change as everyone continues to move forward with life. Natsu, Happy, and I go on jobs together still, but I also do a lot of solo work. I can change my stardress several times throughout a battle and hold open 4 zodiac gates at once. My magical containers have expanded thanks to a year of hard work and dedication._

 _Laxus and Gajeel took me under their wing and helped to develop my physical strength, much to my bodies dismay for the first month. Pretty sure I had more bruises from those two than I ever did from Team Natsu and our adventures. Once my training was complete they both declared me to be their kin, which warms my heart and makes incredibly happy. Natsu and Grey took me as his kin after the battle was over - it turns out demon slayers aren't all that different than dragon slayers. The other dragon slayers couldn't be outdone by Natsu, so I am now the kin of 1 demon slayer, 1 female dragon slayer, and 6 male dragon slayers. We have become such a tight knit family and I wouldn't change for all the jewel in Fiore._

 _However the big brother attitudes get old real fast and at this rate I am going to die alone. Thanks to Cana I have had a fairly active sex life, but the meaningless one night stands just don't do it for me. I am glad to have some experience and knowledge under my belt now - literally - but I am want to fall in love and find my forever person._

 _Otherwise life at the guild is the same amount of crazy as it has always been._


	2. Chapter 1

"Yo blondie!" Lucy swivelled on the chair at the bar to see Laxus leaning against the second floor railing.

"Need something Sparky?" Lucy yelled back to the massive blonde dragon slayer.

"Need to talk to you about a job," Laxus responded.

"Thanks for the strawberry milkshake Mira," Lucy smiled while putting some jewel on the bar. Mira smiled back and continued wiping the mug. Lucy took the stairs two at a time, excited about doing a possible job with Laxus. Sitting at the table with Laxus were Bickslow and Freed. Bickslow's babies flew towards Lucy and each took a turn nuzzling her.

"Are you sure the babies belong to you Bix?" smirked Laxus. "Pretty sure they like Blondie better than you."

"Of course they like me more!" Lucy exclaimed. "I'm so much cooler than Bix is."

"Ouch Cosplayer," Bickslow stated placing a hand over his heart. "Those words hurt me deep." Freed just rolled his eyes at his guildmates antics.

"Miss Lucy we are in need of your assistance for a job that has asked for the three of us by name," Freed calmly stated while handing her a flyer. Lucy looked it over, her eyes suddenly going wide.

"Bosco?!" gasped Lucy. "Why are you being requested for a job in Bosco? Why do they need a Celestial Mage? How long are we going to be gone for? What about my rent?"

"Breathe Blondie," chuckled Laxus. "Bosco is where Bix is from and where his family is located. I stayed with them when I was exiled from Fairy Tail. They took me in and I joined the White Sea guild, which Bix's older brother Kaleb is the Master of."

"Also a key was found on the last mission and no one knows what it's for. Kaleb brought the key to the Dean of Academe Celestine and no one there has any idea what it is either," Freed continued explaining. "It was brought in with one of Bickslow's brothers whom was injured."

"Is he alright?" Lucy softly inquired.

"We aren't entirely sure," Bickslow said with a grim look on his face. "Zen was said to have died when he was 1 after an attack on our home that claimed mom's life. Turns out he was in Pergrande as a slave. They had him fighting in the gladiator pits where he earned the name The Dark Eagle. Dad found out through his connections and a rescue team was sent in and we were able to extract him. He has been in a coma ever since he has been brought back and no one seems to have an answer as to why."

"The key was around Zen's neck when he came in and Mr. Pradesh has kept it a secret and hidden in the embassy until we can figure out what to do," Freed further explained.

"We will probably be gone for a couple months, so you're coming you'll need pack accordingly," Laxus stated.

"I'm sure Cana will take over my lease while I am away if I ask her and Virgo will help me to pack," Lucy replied. "When are we leaving and how are we getting there?"

"Dad is sending his private jet to Magnolia tomorrow morning at 8 and we won't get to the embassy until around midnight," answered Bickslow.

"Meet at the guild at 7:30 and I'll teleport us to where the jet is landing," Laxus told us.

"Guess I have a drunk to find and see how much lingerie this will cost me," Lucy laughed as she went to leave the group. Suddenly a pair of tan arms wrap around Lucy and she looked up to see Bickslow's hugging her.

"Thanks Cosplayer," Bix whispered quietly in her ear. Lucy turned around to face him, taking off his helmet, tossing it to Laxus. She then gently held Bickslow's face between her hands and gazed into his ruby red eyes.

"Bix," Lucy started quietly. "You are part of Fairy Tail, part of my family, and if I can help in any way you know that I will. I may not be able to kick ass while flying on the babies, but keys are kinda my thing." Bickslow let out a chuckle at that. She flashed him a bright smile, gave him another quick hug, and left the second level.

"Cana!" yelled Lucy.

"Hey Lulu!" Cana cheered back. "What can I do for our sexy celestial mage today?"

"Would you mind taking over my lease while I go with Laxus on a job for a few months?" Lucy inquired.

"What kind of question is that?" Cana laughed at me. "I get to sleep in your comfy bed, use your gorgeous tub, and raid your underwear drawer. Every girls dream come true." Lucy laughed and shook her head at the card mage.

"I am going to tell my landlady and get packing," Lucy said. "Your first night will be tomorrow. Please try not to have too many men over while I am away."

"Pft! You know I can't make you that promise," Cana proclaimed. "I like sex and a lot of it!" Lucy laughed and proceeded to walk out of the guild towards her apartment.

Spring had made its way to Magnolia and Lucy loved the season. The different shades of green on the trees and the wide variety of flowers that were just starting to bud and would eventually bloom while she was in Bosco. The wind blew her hair and she tucked a stray strand behind her ear before jumping onto the ledge of the canal. She waived at the fisherman and smiled as they warned her to be careful and not fall in.

Lucy entered her apartment and called her landlady to make the necessary arrangements in her absence. Lucy lightly touched her forearm smiling faintly. Lucy learned a while ago that she was useless without her keys, so after Acnologia was defeated she had grandpa Crux research to see if there was a way to call the zodiacs without having her keys on her. There was, but it was a complicated process that needed the Spirit King's approval, which was eventually given.

An ancient celestial spell would take the key and transform it into a tattoo on her skin. The magic of the key would literally flow through her veins, mingling with her celestial magic, and then she would be able to call a spirit by calling their name. It was excruciatingly painful adding 10 keys to her forearms, 5 on each one. It took her 10 weeks to complete the process; huge magical power was required and it took her a week to recover from each individual process.

Each zodiac's insignia is invisible to anyone without celestial magic and the only tell tale sign that magic has been used is a small golden glow from the spirits symbol on her forearm. Lucy also learned how to requip her whip and Virgo added several others to the collection, all of which had celestial magic within. The new detail to these whips though was that if Lucy lost her whip it would reappear in the spirit world, so that no one could use it against her. Her silver keys were also requipable and stored with her whips, but she still liked to have them on her person while in battle. She hasn't told anyone in the guild about this new development and no one asked since she had been doing solo missions the last few months. _Virgo can you come here please?_

"Princess what can I help you with today," inquired Virgo.

"Can you please pack some belongings for a few months worth of travelling," Lucy politely asked her spirit. "I am going with Laxus, Bickslow, and Freed to Bosco for a mission."

"Are you sure you want clothes then if you're going to Bosco?" Virgo snickered. "You're going to the country where sex is freely exchanged between everyone. Maybe less would be better and you could end your 3 month dry spell."

"Virgo!" gasped Lucy.

"Don't listen to her my love," a masculine voice stated from behind Lucy. "I think we need to find you a parka to wear around all those Boscans. Golden blonde hair, chocolate brown eyes, and your voluptuous curves will have many coming to your attention, and I will have none of it."

"Ugh," groaned Lucy rolling her eyes at Leo. "You two are incorrigible. I am not wearing a parka when it's going to be hot in Bosco and I'm certainly not walking around naked in the street of Bosco either."

"Perhaps Miss Lucy should pack the necessities and buy clothes in Bosco, that way she'll fit into their culture?" questioned Capricorn as he came through his own gate. Lucy's eyes lit up at the thought of shopping. She had taken a couple of S Class missions with Laxus, and Natsu was made S Class about 6 months ago, so she had plenty in her savings account.

"Capricorn you are a genius!" exclaimed Lucy and Capricorn gave a short bow in return. "Well Virgo and I are going to do some packing now. Thanks for everything!" Capricorn and Leo closed their gates while Lucy and Virgo got started.

"Hey Virgo," asked Lucy as she was packing some pajamas. "Do you know much about the Boscan culture?"

"Yes Princess." replied Virgo, whom was packing large amounts of Lucy's lingerie. "What can I assist you with?"

"Well I remember a little bit from my studies back athe konzern, but most of that is from being a socialite," Lucy commented. "I know that in the Boscan culture sex and pleasuring acts are a normal way of life and occurs all the time there. I also know that if someone is interested in me I will be asked if I am promised, but what does being promised mean?"

"Being promised is similar to being engaged," Virgo explained. "It means that both parties think of each other as a viable mate and would like explore the option of marriage. Most people whom are promised end up married, and due to the process the divorce rate in Bosco is nearly non-existent."

"What if I am asked if I am promised, but I don't want to have sex?" asked Lucy nervously.

"You tell them that you are not promised and politely decline the invitation," Virgo said, "Most Boscans will respect your wishes, with a kiss on your hand, and walk away. Not very often do Boscans push after they have been refused and if they do you have the right to defend yourself. Rape is a very serious crime, which usually results in castration, removal of the penis, or death. Princess I am going to make supper since it is late, and once I am done that I will start a bath and return to the Celestial world with your belongings. Punishment Princess?"

"No and thanks Virgo," Lucy replied. Lucy was young with healthy sexual appetite, but lately she felt like something was missing. She wasn't connecting with the men she had met and it had become hard for her to orgasm with a man. Cana suggested that she try with a woman, spruce things up a bit, but it wasn't Lucy's scene. Maybe while in Bosco she would find an attractive man and partake in the pleasures of the body.

Lucy went to the kitchen and ate the sandwich and salad that Virgo had prepared for her in silence. She was mulling over her current job and couldn't help the nagging feeling that was tugging at the back of her mind. She had been on enough jobs with Team Natsu and had been captured often, so she knew the feeling of foreboding when it reared its ugly head. Lucy let out a sigh before washing up the handful of dishes she had and heading off to her tub.

Lucy got into the tub and summoned Plue to bathe with. He swam around on his back soaking up the warmth of the water. She let the warm water soak into her and let her worries fade away. She would try to remember to tell Laxus of her concerns tomorrow, and go from there. Once the water started to get cool she drained the tub and dried herself off. She put on her sleep shorts and shirt and cuddled with Plue. Once she had fallen asleep Plue patted her head and went back home.

Lucy woke up to her alarm going off at 7 and slammed her hand on the off button before groggily getting out of bed. She went to her bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. Lucy threw her hair up into a high messy bun. _I'll be stuck on a jet for the next twelve-ish hours, so no need to impress anyone with hair and make-up. Beside everyone will be asleep by the time we arrive at the embassy._ Lucy grabbed a pair of dark skinny jeans and wore a lilac tank top with a black zip up hoodie. She grabbed her purse before heading to the door and putting on her brown knee high boots.

The spring morning was cool, but it was helping her to wake up and clear her thoughts. Her temporary team was waiting by the guild bar; each with coffee in their hands.

"Morning Lucy," Mira smiled at her and handed her a strawberry smoothie. Lucy took a sip and closed her eyes and savoured the taste.

"Thanks a bunch Mira," Lucy replied sleepily. "So where are we meeting the jet?"

"I am going to teleport us there," Laxus gruffly answered.

"Oh! Right," Lucy said remembering yesterday's conversation. "I have never travelled by your lightning before."

"Don't worry Cosplayer," Bickslow said with his tongue lolling to the side. "Laxus hasn't burned anyone's clothes off in ages, but don't think I am not hopeful." Laxus promptly thwacked Bickslow upside the head.

"That's my sister you perv," grunted Laxus. Bickslow was still smirking while rubbing his head.

"Well I believe we should be going," Freed said glancing at the clock on guild wall. "I wouldn't want to arrive late."

"I expect to be updated on your progress," Mira demanded. "Be safe you four." We all smiled and nodded our head in consent.

"Alright Blondie," huffed Laxus. "I am going to hold you while the other two hold onto my shoulders. You are going to feel a rush of power go through you, but don't fight it. Try to relax and accept it. You might feel dizzy once we get there, so don't puke on me." Lucy glared at the tall man and stuck her tongue out at him. Laxus easily picked her up while Freed and Bickslow were on either side of the lighting slayer, each with a hand on his shoulder. Lightning started to race across Laxus skin and then they were gone.

 _Laxus power is so intense._ Lucy was trying hard to breath through the feeling of all that excess power flowing through her. _Relax Lucy! Breath! It will be over before you know it_. Just like that they were standing on a private airstrip outside of Magnolia. Slowly she opened her eyes, but quickly closed them again as she tried to reign in the dizziness she was overcome with. She heard a male giggle to her right, and in her anger at being mocked she spun and kicked Bickslow in the gut, throwing him back a few feet.

"Damn Cosplayer," groaned Bickslow. "That fuckin hurt!"

"Well don't mock me you insensitive jerk," she yelled at him before spinning on her heel and following Laxus to the jet. Freed laughed at Bickslow before following Lucy.

"Good morning Mr. Dreyar, Mr. Justine, Mr. Pradesh, and Miss Heartfilia," the flight attendant addressed the group. "Please make your way inside and Ambassador Pradesh will be with shortly." Lucy elbowed Bickslow in the ribs.

"Dammit Cosplayer!" yelled Bickslow. "What the hell did you do that for?"

"You didn't tell me your adoptive father was Arman Pradesh!" Lucy nearly squealed in delight. "I met him when I was young and my dad was working on a business deal with him. The peace and treaties he has been able to bring to so many places in different countries in phenomenal!"

"Chill Cosplayer, before you orgasm over my old man," smirked Bickslow.

"I would be happy to have a young lady such orgasm over me," jested Arman. Laxus burst out laughing at the shade of red that adorned Lucy's face. "How about you take that helmet off and come and give your old man a hug?" Bickslow set his helmet on the seat and enveloped his dad in a hug. Arman then went over to Freed and Laxus and each of them received a hug from the older gentleman as well.

Arman walked over to Lucy, "I do not believe I have had the pleasure of meeting you before Miss . . ."

"I'm Lucy Heartfilia, Mr. Pradesh," Lucy said while giving a formal curtsy to the ambassador. Arman took Lucy's hand in his own and touched it to his forward, acknowledging her formal greeting.

"Pleasure to meet you Lucy," Arman smiled at her. "Now come here for a hug. Any family of Bickslow's is family to me as well." Lucy timidly walked up to the Boscan man and wrapped her arms around his waist, while Arman wrapped his around her shoulders. She took a deep breath and felt herself relax against him. "Now why don't we all settle in for take off, and once we are clear we can discuss the job in more detail."

They all settled into their seats and strapped themselves in. Take off was quite smooth and within 10 minutes the pilot was announcing they were free to move around the cabin. Everyone moved towards the table at the back of the jet and made themselves comfortable.

"How much were you all filled in on by Kaleb," inquired Arman.

"Kaleb told us that you received information about Zen being alive, his whereabouts, the rescue mission, and the key he came with," replied Laxus. "He said you would go into more detail once we were in the air."

"I had received word from the embassy in Pergrande that their top gladiator was Zen," started Arman. "The gentleman somehow managed to get blood from The Dark Eagle and he ran it through the Boscan system. All political figures, and their families, have to be in there for emergency purposes. When Zen's name showed up in the system he contacted me immediately. Unfortunately that call cost him his life, and the Pergrande soldiers doubled down on their security. I sent Vander to do some reconnaissance work and get a feel for the layout of the stadium."

"Sorry to interrupt, but whom is Vander?" Lucy questioned.

"Vander is one of my sons and is a Shadowquip mage," replied Arman. "He's a spy for the Steel Council and my youngest son."

"How many more children do you have Arman?" asked Lucy with a raised eyebrow.

"Farron is the oldest and second is Zen, which are the only ones I had with my late wife," Arman solemnly said. "The other 6 are adopted. My wife wanted a large family, so I decided to respect her wishes and adopt; Kaleb, Bickslow, Cristoff, Vander, Emzadi, and Xally. Freed and Laxus have met everyone on previous trips to Bosco. You will meet Farron, Emzadi, and Vander tonight. Cristoff and Kaleb will be joining us tomorrow and Xally will return once she's done her shift at the hospital."

"Cristoff is a Lunar Dragon Slayer and Emzadi is a Solar Dragon Slayer," Freed stated excitedly. "Farron is a sound mage like Arman, Kaleb is a mindbender mage, and Xally is a water mage. We are not sure what type of magic Zen has at this point in time." Lucy smiled at Freed's enthusiasm, and giggled as Laxus rolled his eyes.

"So once Vander was back Kaleb, Cristoff, and myself sat down with him and devised a course of action to bring Zen home," Arman continued, "We had several casualties on our side, but we do know that their ruling body does not know whom it was that attacked and rescued Zen, along with several other captives we happened upon during the siege."

"I'm sorry about the loss of lives," Lucy smiled lightly at Arman and rested a hand on top of his, and he instinctively place his free hand on hers. "How did Zen come into the state that he is now?"

"He has been like that since we were able to get him on the aircraft out of gladiator pit," sighed the ambassador. "No healing mage, or regular doctor, can figure it out. Cristoff has tried several times, and each time he leaves frustrated. We are positively stumped."

"What about the key that was on his person?" Lucy asked her smile growing. Finding a key always made her happy and after hearing that even the Dean at the Academe Celestine couldn't figure out the key type had her even more intrigued. She had been combing her brain trying to think about what key it could be and even asked grandpa Crux if he had any idea. Unfortunately his searches came up empty.

"It's rusted beyond belief and doesn't have any identifying marks on it," answered Arman. "I have it under magical protection so that no one can take it from it's confines. How about we rest for a while. We will be at Bosco's borders within a couple hours and then the embassy is only a couple more from there." Everyone nodded and retired to their own sections of the jet.

 _A key that's rusted and has no defining features? Definitely doesn't sound like a celestial key, but if it's been in Pergrande for years and no one has taken care of it then I suppose there is a possibility that it's dirty. Or perhaps the spirit is hiding itself by looking like an ordinary key and if that's the case it would have to be exceptionally powerful spirit._ Lucy sighed. She wasn't getting anywhere with her thoughts, so she curled up in her chair and fell asleep.

Lucy had a dreamless sleep and woke up a to the sound of Bickslow's yelp, most likely from Laxus shocking him. She could almost feel the snicker on Laxus' face. She sat up and stretched her arms over her head.

"Sleeping Beauty has woken up folks," cackled Bickslow while his babies circled Lucy's head repeating Sleeping Beauty over and over.

"Can it Bix," retorted Lucy and Arman laughed at the young mages. "How long was I out for?"

"A little over 3 hours Miss Lucy," replied Freed. "We're approximately 2 and a half hours from the embassy." Lucy smiled back at Freed and thanked him. The jet rumbled and rocked for a couple seconds and then repeated the same movements.

"Turbulence?" Lucy asked Laxus.

"Definitely not," asserted Laxus. "I can smell a magic that isn't ours being used." Lucy looked out the window and gasped. There were a couple of air mages tossing concentrated balls of magic against the exterior of the jet.

"Laxus you need to get Mr. Pradesh off the jet now!" declared Freed. "Bickslow and I will grab the pilot and co-pilot and fly them down to land and contact you from there on our lacrima. You can come and get us afterwards. Lucy do you have a way to fly? At this distance Laxus can only take himself and one other."

"I've got a spirit that I can call out," nodded Lucy determinedly. The jet shook again and started to descend.

"Once you contact Laxus I will send Vander as well and some of you can be transported via his Shadowquip," explained Arman. The Fairy Tail wizards nodded to Arman.

"Arman hold onto me," Laxus commanded. "You morons better look after Lucy or you'll be dealing with a pissed off dragon." And then they teleported away.

"Boss man sure knows how to make you feel warm and fuzzy," snorted Bickslow and Lucy giggled at the seith mage.

Bickslow and Freed grabbed the pilot and co-pilot, while Lucy called out Pegasus. Lucy ensured that the civilians had on their parachutes, just in case. Freed set a rune up so that when he shot open the door the differing pressures wouldn't hurt them. Freed activated his wings and went out the door with the pilot, followed by Bickslow on his babies with the co-pilot, and Lucy bringing up the rear.

The jet continued its downward descent towards the country of Bosco. The unfriendly air mages quickly realized everyone was off the jet and started to throw their attacks at the trio of mages.

"Freed! Bix!" yelled Lucy. "Get those gentlemen to a safe spot on the ground and I will handle these two mages. Stardress Sagittarius!" Lucy flipped herself around on Pegasus so she could face her enemies. _Loke I need you on the ground to let me know when they're safe and help protect the guys._ She felt the gate open and knew he was ready for action. She was cancelling the enemies air attacks with her arrows, and was succeeding in keeping them from advancing any further towards the men.

Loke's voice popped into her head. _Lucy they are on the ground and it's all clear here._ Lucy sighed and telepathically communicated her plans to Pegasus. She needed to defeat these guys and get to shelter so they could meet up with Laxus and Vander.

"Stardress Leo!" Lucy shouted. She started hurling bright balls of light towards the air mages. She succeeded in catching one mage in the chest and watched as he fell towards the ground. The other air mage gave an angry roar and started increasing his attacks, but Lucy was able to keep up to him and cancel out all his air assault.

The air mage started to create several different sizes of air attacks and had them hovering in the air. Lucy quickly stardressed back into Sagittarius and materialized arrows to float in the sky. They launched their attacks at the same time and several explosions erupted. Lucy grunted in pain as she saw one of the attacks hit her on the right side of her abdomen. She took a deep breath and notched an arrow. _This guy is so going down, right now!_ Lucy fired her arrow and it connected with the mages chest and she watched him fall, but he unfortunately shot one more attack her way. It connected with Pegasus, which zapped him back to the Celestial world and left her free falling.

The ground was coming in fast and Lucy was starting panic. She didn't have any other spirits that could fly and the ground was going to be hard. _That's it! I need a softer landing._

"Stardress Aries," Lucy yelled and quickly started throwing wool towards the ground and piling it up since she was coming in fast. She hit the top of her wool tower and continued to fall halfway through before she stopped. Lucy opened her eyes and let out the breath she was holding in. Lucy went to sit up and groaned in pain and looked down at her stomach and noticed she was bleeding from the air mages attack. She grabbed some of the wool and packed it onto her wound before requiping a script pen and sealing it with a rune to keep it in place until she had time to look it over. She released her stardress form and reverted back to her regular clothes.

"Lucy! Lucy!" came the panicked voices of Bickslow and Freed.

"Over hear guys!" Lucy replied, waving back to her guildmates. "How is the pilot and co-pilot doing?"

"We sent them with the local authorities," Freed told her. "We saw the explosion in the sky and became worried and headed this way immediately."

"You scared the shit out of us when we saw you started to fall from the sky Cosplayer," Bickslow said as he hugged her.

"Pretty sure I was scared," she laughed at the two men. "How about we call Laxus and get somewhere safe. I don't like being in a foreign place and out in the open." Freed whipped out the lacrima and briefly spoke to Laxus and Vander. Within minutes a crack of lightning hit the ground and Laxus appeared, followed by Vander popping out of the shadows.

"I've got Blondie," instructed Laxus glaring at Vander. "You can take Freed and Bix since they have travelled with you before." Just like that Laxus scooped up Lucy and teleported away.

"Hey Boss man! Nice to see you and yeah we're doing great thanks for asking," Bickslow joked to where Laxus once stood. Vander and Freed chuckled at Bickslow. Vander clamped a hand on Bickslow's shoulder.

"Nice to see you again big bro," Vander said with a grin. "But then again wouldn't Cristoff, Emzadi, Xally and I all be older since you slept like 7 years away?"

"I'll always be older than you brats," retorted Bickslow with his own grin. "Let's get the hell out of this place and back to the embassy. I'd like to clean up, eat and visit with everyone before seeing Zen." Vander pulled the seith and rune mages into his shadows and took off.

The three mages showed up at the embassy to see Lucy talking with Arman and Laxus, filling them in on what had happened. Laxus had his arms crossed and was clearly becoming pissed as Lucy recounted her battle. Laxus looked up at the boys and glared, before marching over to them.

"I told you to keep her safe," he chastised the two mages. "Not have her spirit shot out of the sky and for her to free fall. She could have been hurt!" Lucy walked over to Laxus and placed a reassuring hand on his arm and looked at him with a smile.

"Laxus," she hummed softly. "We are all fine, so there's no need to be mad at them. Freed's plan was sound, and you know that. The air mage got a lucky shot in, but I beat both of them and am pretty much fine." Laxus brought his forehead to hers and closed his eyes to breath in her scent and calm his nerves. "Relax brother. All will be fine, besides kicking their asses has made me hungry." Laxus smirked at her and pulled her in for a side hug.

"How about we all make our way to the dining area and eat some of the amazing food Mr. Elan has prepared for us this evening," suggested Arman. "Farron should be by after we eat and then you can relax in the bath house before getting some rest. We can all go and see Zen in the morning. And since you are at home take the helmet off Bickslow" The group of mages followed Arman into the dining area and proceeded to take a seat. Food started to flow around the table and the conversation was a pleasant one.

Out of the corner of Lucy's eye she saw Vander look at her before leaning over to Bickslow to ask him a question. Bickslow's face frowned before he answered Vander's question. Laxus looked up at the two mages, clearly hearing what was being discussed. He sent a hard glare and a zap of electricity in Vander's direction and Vander put his hands up in a silent surrender. Satisfied, Laxus went back to eating his meal.

Lucy finally had some time to take in Farron, Vander, and Emzadi. Farron had long mahogany hair that he was braided and hung down the front of his shoulder. His eyes were a beautiful baby blue color and reminded her a lot of Arman. She knew a lot about Farron from her studies, since he was also an ambassador and helped his father in many ways. She had often heard Bickslow complaining that he was a workaholic. Lucy was looking forward to spending some time with the oldest Pradesh sibling.

Vander. Lucy wasn't quite sure what to make of the shadowquip mage yet. Mainly because she hadn't been able to talk with him due to Laxus' overprotective nature. He had the same wine colored eyes that Bickslow had and she was fairly confident that he was even more mischievous than any other of siblings. Hopefully she'd soon be able to talk to the youngest male Pradesh without Laxus starting a war.

Emzadi was quite the spitfire of a mage, and couldn't help but laugh at her not so subtle flirting with a certain lightning dragon slayer. Laxus ignored everything that Emzadi through his way, but she was pretty sure she could see the desire in his eyes. _I should make a bet with Bickslow's family about how long it'll take those two to screw each other._ Emzadi was tall, with curves in all the right places and gorgeous blonde hair - which Lucy was slightly jealous of. Her molten eyes eyes were unique, and fit her personality to a T.

Once everyone had their fill they all decided to make their way to the bath house. Lucy brought up the rear of the group. She was biting her lip and had her hands fisted to keep herself grounded and to push the pain of her injury away. They more they walked the harder it was to think, move, breathe. She heard a bunch of laughter and looked up and noticed a new person had joined the group. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on who he was.

"Hey Laxus," Lucy breathed heavily while addressing the lightning slayer.

"Blondie?" Laxus hesitantly questioned.

"So I might have forgot to tell everyone a minor detail about the events that happened earlier," she grimaced while looking at him. "Sorry about what's going to happen." The rune that Lucy had used to keep the wool in place decided now was a good time to wear off. She unzipped her sweater and watched as the piece of blood soaked wool fell to the floor. She looked up at Laxus and felt herself falling. There were several people screaming her name and she could feel her spirits panicking as she started to lose consciousness. _Everyone is going to be so pissed at me when I come too._


	3. Chapter 2

Second chapter is up! Thanks to those of you whom have read and reviewed so far. Sorry if it seems rushed - I think this is partially due to my excitement on writing my first fan fiction and how I feel about the story so far, so I promise to work on that going forward. There will be some light smut coming up in chapters 3/4, which I am a bit nervous to put on paper - so please be nice. Hope you enjoy this one and let me know your thoughts on it and any ideas you may have and I might incorporate them in!

Lucy woke to the sun shining down on the bed she was laying in. She rolled over and pulled the covers over her head and tried to go back to sleep. Her eyes shot open and she sat up in bed real quick and looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings. Yesterday's events came flooding back to her and she groaned while resting her head in the palms of her hands.

"Glad to see that you are awake and well beautiful," said a distinctly male voice. "You gave your us quite a scare in the celestial world."

"Sorry Loke," Lucy quietly replied. "I didn't mean to make everyone worry. I totally forgot I was injured until the rune wore off."

"We know," the lion spirit chuckled shaking his head slightly. "However I do not think Laxus is going to let you off the hook as easily as I am." Lucy flopped back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.

"On a scale of 1-10 how pissed off is he?" she inquired.

"Easily a 15," replied Leo. Lucy threw an arm over her eyes and huffed in annoyance. "Thankfully the lunar dragon slayer arrived early and is well versed in healing. He had you patched up in no time. You should probably shower and head downstairs for breakfast before Laxus barges in."

"Yea you're right," Lucy sighed in defeat and made her way to a bathroom that was available to her. She let the water warm up before she hopped in and started to wash her body and hair. It was a much quicker shower than she would have wanted, but she needed to go and reassure a worried dragon that she was alright. Lucy shut the water off and wrapped a towel around herself and headed back out to the main part of the room. Virgo stood beside the bed waiting for her.

"Morning Princess," beamed Virgo. "I have taken the liberty of laying some clothes out for you to wear today. Punishment?"

"No punishment Virgo and thank you," Lucy kindly responded. "They look amazing!" On the bed was a baby blue halter dress, matching black bra and thong, and a pair of white sandals. Lucy quickly changed into her clothes and called Cancer out to help with her hair and makeup.

"Morning Ebi," acknowledged Cancer. "What would you like done today?"

"I'd like my hair up in a high curled ponytail and just basic makeup please," Lucy politely responded. Cancer set to work and had everything completed within minutes. "It's awesome Cancer. Thanks again." Cancer bowed to Lucy and went back to the Celestial world.

Lucy made her way down the dining area and stood outside the doors. She took a deep breath and walked through the doors. She made it about 3 steps before a brooding dragon stood in her way scowling at her.

"You have a hell of a lot of explaining to do Lucy," Laxus uttered to her. _He used my actual name! I am in so much trouble._

"How about I join you at the table with everyone else so they can all hear what happened," suggested Lucy. The tall blonde made his way back to the table with Lucy following quietly behind him.

"My dear before you start I would like to introduce Kaleb," Arman said in a calm and soothing tone. "Kaleb is the guildmaster of the White Sea, a high ranked Knight, and a Master of Immaculate Light. He is also the fifth Wizard Saint of Bosco, and he's single." Lucy blushed, but smiled warmly up at the mindbender mage whom had long platinum blonde hair that he kept in a high ponytail and pale lavender eyes. "Now how about you fill us in on how that wound occured." Lucy recounted the details of the battle, how she was injured, and how she met up with Freed and Bickslow.

"How did I not smell your blood Blondie?" inquired Laxus.

"Aries wool is what I used to pack the wound," Lucy started to explain. "Her wool has minor healing properties, pain relievers as well a way to camoflauge the look and smell of most wounds, so as not to attract unwanted attention. When I activated the rune to act as a bandage over everything it effectively sealed everything in. It wasn't until the rune started to wear off that I remembered I was injured. Ummm who was the one that healed me?"

"That would have been me," a rugged voice sounded from behind Lucy. The most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on was walking into the dining room. His black shoulder length hair contrasted nicely against his tanned skin, dark blue eyes that looked as though stars were twinkling within them, and a couple of piercings in each ear. He was easily as tall as Laxus and had an amazing smile. Lucy could feel the heat pool between her legs while staring at the newcomer. She mentally slapped all of her perverted thoughts out of her head, while Kaleb outright laughed at her. _Right mindbender mage. Guess I'll need to keep those thoughts on lock down from here on out._ Lucy stood up to meet the newcomer and extended a hand in thanks. He smiled at her and her heart started to race at the small gesture. He took her small hand in his and kissed it.

"Lucy I would like to introduce you to Cristoff," Laxus gruffly said.

"Thank you for healing me last night," Lucy said will a shy smile.

"It wasn't a problem," replied Cristoff. "It's not everyday a blonde haired beauty collapses in my presence."

"No just every full moon," snorted Vander. Lucy looked over at the youngest Pradesh son with a confused look on her face.

"Cris gets moon drunk every full moon," Bickslow started to explain. "His power fluctuates with the waning of the moon and when it's full his powers are at their highest. It also attracts a lot of attention and we usually have to confine Cris to his bedroom, or else the parade of guests that try to enter his bed are unlimited." Lucy blushed at Bickslow's words.

"Will you join us for breakfast Cris?" asked Kaleb. "We are going to take everyone to see Zen afterwards and hopefully someone can tell us what is happening to him." Cristoff nodded his head and went to sit beside his brothers. Lucy listened to the stories that brothers were telling about one another, and they seemed to be getting more ridiculous by the minute. She was in tears and even Laxus and Freed were openly laughing at the Prodesh brothers.

Lucy couldn't help but smile while watching Bickslow's carefree attitude and happiness bubble to the surface. She knew how much he missed his family since his powers weren't legal in Bosco until 6 months ago. This was the first time she'd seen him truly happy and it warmed her heart. A hand touched her shoulder and she looked up at the blonde dragon slayer, whom also had a smile on his face. Her family was happy, which made her happy.

"Since it looks like everyone has finished with their meal, why don't we make our way to Zen's room," suggested the elder Pradesh. Everyone stood and followed Arman through the house. They approached a door at the end of the hallway and Lucy got sinking feeling in her stomach. She waited for everyone else to enter the room, hesitant to enter herself. She stood in the hallway trying rationalize why she was hesitating. _Bix's brother might need your help and you're standing out here like your feet are nailed to the floor. Get a hold of yourself Lucy!_ She tried to reassure herself, but no matter what she told herself she couldn't budge.

"Lucy?" a calm voiced entered her mind. "Are you alright?" She looked up to see Kaleb standing there with a look of concern on his face. _I'm scared, but I don't have any idea why._ Kaleb smiled at her and extended his hand out and waited. Lucy looked into the mindbender mages eyes. _No time like the present to face this, Lucy._ Lucy squared her shoulders and took a step towards Kaleb and placed her hand in his.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuckity Fuck!" was being yelled from inside the room. Kaleb dragged Lucy into the room to see what was happening. Bickslow stood looking over Zen with his helmet off and was yelling more obscenities to no one in particular.

"Bickslow that's enough," Laxus calmly stated. "You need to reign in your powers and calm down enough to tell us what you've seen." Bickslow closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths and pulled his magic back.

"Some stupid fucker has put a Soul Lock on Zen," stated an irate Bickslow. "It's a forbidden spell that can only be used by a seith mage. The mage takes the person's soul and traps it within a physical object and can then set parameters around when it activates. Based on what you have told me it sounds like the moment Zen left Pergrande is when the charm activated. Cristoff can't finish healing him because his soul has been torn from his body.

"You don't suppose it's locked in the key came in with him?" suggested Laxus.

"There is a good possibility of that," responded Bickslow. "Dad can you bring the key out here?" Arman nodded his head and left to retrieve the key from where he had it hidden. Lucy walked over to Zen and sat down on the bed beside him. _His mahogany hair is short, probably due to the fact that he was in the gladiator pits. He looks familiar though, like something I've seen in a book or a dream._ Lucy racked her brain trying to place where she had seen him, a deja vu feeling almost overwhelming her.

Arman walked back into the room and handed the key to Bickslow, while Lucy was still concentrating on trying to place where she'd seen Zen. Bickslow used his eyes to look at the key, and frowned.

"It's attached to the key," Bickslow commented. "However the key has magic of it's own and I'm unable to use my powers to transfer his soul back to him." Vander cursed under his breath, while everyone else in the room negatively reacted to the news.

 _Thump. Thump._

Lucy looked up from Zen, with a confused face. _Thump. Thump._ She glanced around the room to see everyone else arguing over what to do next. She cocked her head to the side and closed her eyes. _Thump. Thump._ There it was again! _Am I the only one whom can hear it?_ Lucy continued to look around the room until her eyes landed on the key in Bickslow's hand, and she gasped. She opened her hand and mentally called the key to her, and in a quick brilliant flash it transported from Bickslow's hand to hers.

The entire room went quiet.

"Princess," Leo quietly voiced as he came through his own gate.

"Did you know?" whispered Lucy.

"Princess please," pleaded Leo.

"DID YOU KNOW?" demanded Lucy. Leo shrunk back from the celestial mage. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"The Spirit King forbade us from telling you anything outside of your own research over the last year," Leo confessed.

"Is he it? Is Zen it?" Lucy strongly asked.

"We aren't sure Princess," replied Leo. "With the Soul Lock placed on him no one really knows." Lucy ran a frustrated hand over her face.

"Lucy child," came a soft voice and she looked to see Arman and the rest of the mages staring at her intently.

"Care to share Blondie?" Laxus asked.

"She can't," responded Leo.

"What do you mean she can't?" demanded Vander. "That's our brother on that bed you stupid fucking cat!"

Leo tried to explain again, "She can't explain it . . ."

"Listen here," stated a glowering Vander. "We have a right to know what's going on and one of you better fill us in on what's going on!"

"Loke," came Lucy's quiet voice. "How long?"

"24 hours at most, Princess," the lion replied.

"We are going to have a very long conversation after this is all said and done," she looked the lion directly in the eye and he nodded his head. She took a deep breath and looked at Bickslow.

"I need you to partially possess me Bix," she stated. Bickslow was taken aback by her statement.

"Come again?" Bickslow said.

"I need you to partially take control of me," Lucy stated again, before explaining. "My celestial powers can bring Zen's soul out of the key, but I don't have the knowledge to do so. I need you to help me move his soul from the key to the body, and we should probably do this is a larger, magic proof space."

"Vander can you transport all of us to the guild's indoor training room?" Kaleb asked. Vander nodded his head in consent. "I will call Thane and make sure that the room is cleared." He stepped out of the room to make his call.

"I will take Dad, Farron, Kaleb, Bix, and Freed first," Vander commented. "The next transport Laxus will carry Zen and Emzadi can come with us and lastly I will make a third trip for Cris and Lucy."

"Thane is taking care of everything," Kalen said walking back into the room. "You should be able to jump right into the room Vander." The first group hundled up and disappeared into the shadows. Laxus picked Zen up and waited for Vander to return while glaring at Leo. Vander tapped Laxus' shoulder before pulling him into the darkness.

"Force gate closure, Leo the Lion," Lucy said calmly to a surprised lion spirit. She turned and looked over to Cristoff. "I'm going to try to save your brother, but I am going to need a favour."

"What can I do for you Lucy?" inquired Cristoff.

"I need you to make sure no one interferes with what I have to do. No matter what! If I break my concentration then everything could go very very wrong," Lucy said while staring into Cristoff's eyes.

"I don't like this Lucy," Cristoff said with a furrowed brow. She placed a hand on his arm and smiled at him. Cristoff inhaled quickly at her brilliant smile, while looking into her chocolate brown eyes.

"I need you to trust me, please?" pleaded Lucy. He searched her brown orbs and sighed in defeat and nodding his head yes. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. He buried his head into her hair and taking in her strawberry vanilla scent.

Vander tapped Cristoff's shoulder before pulling him and Lucy into the black void. When they appeared in the training room Lucy grasped the front of Cristoff's shirt and moaned. _Why is everything spinning?_ Kaleb laughed and explained to everyone what Lucy was thinking. She pushed back from the Lunar dragon slayer a slight blush on her face and walked over to where Zen was in the middle of the training field, with Bickslow right behind her.

"I need you to possess me enough that you can pull the soul out, but not so much that I can't use my powers," she looked at Bickslow. "This isn't going to be easy."

"Understatement of the year Cosplayer," snorted Bickslow. "I would stand back if I were you guys. I don't know what's going to happen."

Everyone retreated to the north wall and watched with bated breath. Bickslow's eyes started to glow green as his power came to the surface. Lucy went rigid. The key in her hand began to glowing gold and green, a combination of both their powers. Floating above the key was a small white orb and a small black orb. The white orb shot into Zen's body, while the black orb shot into Bickslow's body. He screamed in pain and clutched his head as he fell to his knees. His spell on Lucy broke as she raced over to him and grabbed his left wrist in her hand. She pumped celestial magic into him, helping to power his own magic. Bickslow stopped screaming, but a blast of power from Lucy sent him flying towards the other mages. Laxus easily caught Bickslow before he impacted the concrete wall, but he was already unconscious.

Everyone was staring at Lucy, whom was enveloped in a white light. She walked back to where Zen lay and placed one hand on his forehead and another hand on his heart. She started pouring celestial magic into the comatose mage.

"Laxus if Miss Lucy keeps this up she is going to deplete her magic reserves," surmised Freed.

"She told me that we have to trust her," Cristoff stated to the group. "Lucy said to trust her and not to break her concentration or else something could go wrong."

"She could die!" yelled Laxus.

"She's your kin, I get it, but give her some more time Laxus," Cristoff countered. The worried lightning mage looked back to Lucy, feeling helpless.

Lucy continued to pour magic into Zen and his body was greedily accepting everything she was giving him. Her body was becoming exhausted and her magic containers were becoming low, but she needed to ensure she saved Zen. Her eyes looked at the worried faces of her friends, and she became more determined. Lucy could feel more power floating around her and realized what was about to happen. _Shit! This is going to hurt._

"Third origin, release," Lucy called out. A pulse of power emitted from her body and shot out into the training grounds, pushing all the mages watching into the wall. Lucy screamed as power careened into Zen's body in a huge burst, then everything stilled and Lucy's power receded into her own body. Zen's gold eyes opened and he sat upright gasping for air. Lucy grasped his right wrist in her hand and a white glow appeared from her contact with his skin. Zen's black wings materialized from his back and he looked around shocked, curious, and afraid.

"I'm not going to hurt you Zen," Lucy said calmly to the frightened mage, while pushing her own pain aside. "You are safe in Bosco with your real family and I need you to relax, and maybe reign your wings in." Zen looked behind him and was surprised to see his wings out.

"How . . . How are they out without the warden being around?" Zen questioned.

"It seems part of the Soul Lock magic gave the owner of the charm your ability to call forth your wings, but not your powers," explained Lucy. "You are going to have lots of questions, and we will do our best to answer them all, but you need to rest and let a healer look after you. I promise that you will be more than 100% soon!" Lucy smiled at Zen and gently pushed him down onto the bed. Zen looked at the wall where everyone else stood and then back to Lucy's smiling face and grinned before falling into a peaceful sleep.

The room was filled with excess Celestial magic and it was creating a blanket effect around everyone else whom was in the same vicinity. Lucy started to panic realizing that her magic was keeping everyone captive. _Capricorn what do I do?_

 _Miss Lucy I cannot come through to you. There seems to be a magical barrier not permitting our entrance to your world. However you need to find the key you dropped after you went to aid the seith mage. I am not sure what will happen, but you need the key._

Lucy looked around Zen's bed and found the key to be resting at the foot of it. She slowly reached out her hand, more hesitant to grab the key this time around. They key had lost it's rust look, and looked more like a victorian key in its structure, and was black in color. Lucy took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and grabbed the key. She opened her brown eyes and looked around to realize nothing had happened.

 _Hey brat!_

 _Aquarius?_

 _Listen up. You need to pull the magic back into your body, which is going to hurt more than opening your third origin. Once you have it gathered you need to push it into the key._

Lucy closed her eyes and concentrated on the feel of the magic floating in the air. She imagined sucking the power in like a dragon slayer would their element. The minute she started to feel the magic start to fill her containers she could feel her body begin to burn. She set her jaw and clenched her fists as sweat started to drip from her brow. Once she had recalled all of the magic she focused it into the key, which started to glow black, the air shimmered and then she was gone.

With the magic being dissipated the rest of the magic were released from the wall and all fell to a heap on the floor.

"What in the fuck just happened?" asked Vander while rubbing his head.

"Hell if I know," grunted Laxus. "Bix would be the only one whom might know, but he's still out from whatever Blondie did to him." Cristoff was doing a healing scan over Bickslow.

"Nothing seems to be wrong with him," Cristoff stated. "He should wake up within a few moments. I'm going to check on Zen." Emzadi followed Cristoff on his walk over to Zen while everyone else got up off the floor and regained their bearings. Emzadi grabbed Cristoff's shoulder, and they both stopped.

"Do you smell that Cris?" questioned Emzadi.

"Smell what Em?" replied Cristoff.

"It smells . . . Well it smells like a dragon!" Emzadi said with wide eyes. Laxus was beside the other two dragon slayers in a heartbeat and taking a whiff of the air.

"How? I just . . . don't understand," a crestfallen Cristoff said. "All of the dragons are dead except for Nurem, whom I haven't seen in almost 10 years now."

"Ohhhh. I feel like I was ran over by a train," groaned Bickslow looking around to all the other mages. "What'd I miss?"

"Well for starters you ate what looked like a black piece of shit and then started screaming like a little bitch," laughed Vander. Bickslow scowled at Vander.

"For your information, needle dick, it was a dark soul that had attached itself to the key," Bickslow informed the group. "Turns out the seith mage who used the Soul Lock spell placed a piece of his soul into the charm as well, most likely to strengthen it. It would have been painful for the mage to separate part of his soul, but it was darker than your shadows and tried to consume me and convince me to kill all of you. I couldn't . . . I couldn't fight against it, but then I felt myself being encased in a warm bubble, and I was able to get rid of it like normal."

"That warm feeling must have been Miss Lucy's power," surmised Freed. "She raced over to you the minute you fell and started pouring magic into you. I am most curious as to how she was able to transfer her magic into your magic."

"Seith magic and celestial magic are similar in many ways," Emzadi piped up. "They're both holder magics and both are based on the strength of the person's soul, more so than the physical aspect. Even so there's no way Lucy should have been able to pour so much magic into you and then into Zen, even with opening her third origin."

"No way! Cosplayer you opened your third origin?" Bickslow said looking for the blonde haired mage. "Hey guys. Where is Cosplayer?"

"We don't know," sighed Farron. "After she healed Zen and picked up the key she disappeared from the room. With all of the runes that were put in place I didn't think she'd be able to leave."

"She wouldn't, unless she went to the Celestial World," commented Freed. "The runes we set up were for this space and this time only. With the time difference between our world and the celestial world there's no telling how long she could be gone for."

"What do you mean? What time difference?" questioned Kaleb.

"Twenty four hours in the celestial world is equal to three months in our world," Laxus said in a huff, while keeping an eye on Cristoff whom was healing Zen.

"Well that is most unfortunate," said Arman while rubbing his jaw. "I guess we will have to wait for Lucy to return to us in due time. How is Zen doing Cristoff?"

"He's perfectly healthy," stated Cristoff in disbelief. "It's like nothing happened to him at all. Lucy's power healed absolutely everything - his mind, body, and soul. I've never seen anything quite like it before. He'll probably be out until morning though."

"Lucy isn't a healer, is she?" Emzadi asked Laxus.

"Definitely not," snorted Laxus. "Lucy is a quick study and has picked up on simple rune magic within the last year, but the type of healing Cris is referring too would take decades to master."

"Worry not friends of Lucy," Capricorn said while stepping out of his own gate. "The rune mage was correct to say that she is in the Celestial world, however we are unable to pinpoint her exact location."

"Any idea how she is going to be gone for?" asked Laxus while staring down Capricorn.

"Unfortunately no," came the goat spirit's reply. "My suggestion to you would be to inform Fairy Tail's master and then continue on with yours days until Miss Lucy has returned." He bowed to everyone and headed back to the spirit world.

"Hey Bossman. Can I be there when you tell Erza you lost Lucy?" snickered Bickslow while dodging Laxus' lightning.

"Let's go to my office and make the call from there," suggested Kaleb. "We will have some privacy from my nosy family."

"Maybe you'll be lucky enough and get Jellal instead of Erza," chortled Bickslow. The rest of the Pradesh family exited the training grounds with Vander and Christoff bringing Zen with them.

Laxus and Kaleb called Fairy Tail and two faces appeared on the screen. _Dammit it all to hell! I can't be that unlucky!_ Erza and Natsu were on the other end of the lacrima com.

"Laxus. I am glad to see you checking in. How goes your mission?" inquired Erza.

"Where's Luce at Laxus?" piped up Natsu.

"That's what we are calling to talk to you about. We ran into a . . . complication," Laxus cautiously said.

"What kind of a complication?" Erza asked with a dark aura hanging around her. Laxus began to explain the last 48 hours to his guildmates. It was definitely not a fun conversation to have. _Well at least they have remained calm while you told them what has occured._ Laxus looked over at Kaleb and rolled his eyes. _These two are never quiet. Ever! Give it a minute for it all to sink in._

Suddenly Natsu exploded into flames and began yelling and cursing at everything in Erza's office. Erza closed her eyes and took several deep breaths.

"What do you need from Fairy Tail," asked Erza. "Do you need resources or people? Should I talk to Yukino and see if her spirits can assist at all?"

"I believe that Lucy's spirits will keep us informed, but having another celestial mage on the lookout for her will definitely help," Laxus glumly replied. "I was hoping that maybe Cobra and Natsu could come to Bosco and be an extra set of eyes and ears. I have a feeling Lucy will pop back up in Bosco, but I don't know where or what condition she'll be in."

"Done!" said Natsu. "I'll get Wendy to whip up something for our motion sickness and drag Cobra's ass to the nearest airport."

"No need to go to the airport," Kaleb spoke up. "I will have Vander go to the guild and transport them back to Bosco. It'll be easy for him to do so and get them here more efficiently."

"I'm all for not taking a plane," smiled Natsu. "The sooner we get to Bosco the sooner I can start my search for Luce. I'm fired up now!"

"Natsu go and find Cobra and fill him in, discretely! We don't need the whole guild to know the Light of Fairy Tail has gone missing, again," sighed Erza. "I'll get the rest of Crime Sorciere to keep their ears open in case she pops up in Fiore. The minute she is located we will inform one another."

"Agreed," and Laxus ended the conversation. "Well that didn't go as badly as I thought it would. I hope your guild likes paperwork, because with Natsu being here temporarily you'll have heaps."

"Can't be any worse than Vander," stated Kaleb with a shrug. "I'm pretty sure I have just as many marriage proposals on my desk as I do complaints that he has fucked the wrong person and messed something up." Laxus smirked at that. "I'll send Vander to get our two new additions and then I guess we play the waiting game with Lucy."

Laxus sighed while he followed Kaleb out of his office. Laxus knew he wouldn't be to rest easy until his sister was safe by his side. _Be safe Lucy and come home soon._


	4. Chapter 3

45 days. It had been 45 days since Lucy was last seen, and to say that the mages from Fairy Tail were getting antsy was an understatement. Kaleb had all of the mages in his guild keeping an ear and eye out for the blonde celestial mage, but so far no one had heard a peep from her. The worst part of it all was that no one had heard from Lucy's spirits either. Yukino had Libra keeping her updated, but so far there was no news on that front either.

Laxus could be found in the gym, training field, or out on a mission with Freed, Bickslow and Cristoff, all of which were helping the mage with his anger issues. He seemed to get worse when Emzadi would appear and he would leave the area if she was there for more than ten minutes. His dragon was complaining about their missing kin and the need to take a mate. Laxus wanted nothing more than to claim Emzadi as his own and the delicious dreams he was having about her had him on the cusp of sanity. He refused to do anything about it until Lucy was back, and safe. He tried to keep himself as occupied during the day as he could, but he could tell that he wasn't the only one affected by Lucy being gone.

Natsu had become depressed and moppy the first week he was in Bosco and hadn't found anything about Lucy's whereabouts. He had rampaged through the city and had set several buildings on fire. Kaleb and Laxus finally caught him and sentenced him to a guild lockdown, which made the fire slayer even more of a mess being cooped up. Bickslow was fed up with the constant whining so he had his babies throw him into the sea. Unfortunately Natsu's motion sickness kicked in while in the sea and a water mage saved him by manipulating the water so that it brought him to shore. When he gazed upon her face he was mesmerized. Aquamarine eyes bored into his charcoal ones. Her black hair was in a high ponytail that reached her mid back and her ruby red lips were smiling down at him.

 _Mine! Mine!_ His inner dragon chanted to him. He thanked the mage before using his fire magic to dry his clothes. He walked her back to the embassy and found out that this was Arman's youngest child, Xally. They had been out on several dates and Natsu liked her more quiet and shy personality compared to his boisterous one. They were keeping their relationship quiet, upon Xally's request. Natsu also refused to tell Xally she was his mate until after Lucy had been found. He silently thanked Bickslow everyday for throwing him in the damn ocean.

Bickslow hid behind his jokes and having a different partner in his bed every night. The thought of Lucy not coming back anytime soon was causing an uneasiness within the seith mage. Ever since he had possessed her something in him had changed, but he couldn't place his finger on it. He often thought he could feel her presence nearby, but it always turned up to be nothing.

Zen was also feeling the same way towards Lucy as Bickslow was, and it had him somewhat rattled. He was able to stay busy working on his magic with Kaleb and Vander, while also taking lessons from a Sudehpah and was mostly enjoying it. He was having a harder time with his teachings around pleasuring men, but wasn't going to let it deter him. He hoped Lucy returned soon so he could thank her.

Kaleb had sent Vander on a mission with Emzadi after he received a rumor about another key being found. He wanted them to validate it's authenticity. Kaleb kept the guild running smoothly and often spoke to Erza about anything pertaining to Lucy's whereabouts. He also made sure he talked to Cristoff often while he was out with the Thunder Legion.

Cristoff had become quiet after Lucy's disappearance and had closed his mind off to Kaleb as well. He was busy helping the Thunder Legion on their missions, but when he was back in the guild he could often be found sleeping in the bed where Lucy had been. He mostly kept to himself nowadays and when the full moon came around he didn't invite anyone to his bed, which baffled his family.

The Light of Fairy Tail was gone, and it seemed like she had also become the joy of the Pradesh family as well. _Come on Tinkerbell. Your family desperately needs you, so get your ass back here!_ Cobra had always liked the Celestial mage and was quite fond of her. She put up with his shitty attitude, and kept her mind calm around him - which he was grateful for. He was the last dragon slayer to take her as kin, and how she had managed to become kin to all of the slayers baffled him at times. It took a strong willed person to put up with one dragon slayer, let alone seven of them.

It was around midnight and Cobra was wandering through the bazaar in Pelerno, taking in the quiet of the night. Cobra was coming up to a park that was on the other side of the bazaar and was looking forward to laying in the cool grass and seeing the stars. The twinkle of the night sky reminded him of Lucy's personality, bright and hopeful. He took a deep breath and could smell the dew that was clinging to the blades of grass. Cobra found solace staring at up at the night sky.

CRACK!

 _Well that was short lived._ Cobra sat up looking around the park to find a large beast studying him. _What in the fuck is that?!_ Cobra was on his feet immediately, glaring at the golden glowing eyes, the hairs on his arms stood up.

"You will do," said the deep voice of the creature. A golden glow erupted and the creature disappeared, but in his place stood Lucy leaning against the tree.

"Hey Erik," Lucy smiled tiredly at the poison slayer. "How long have I been away for?"

"46 days," replied Cobra. "46 fuckin days! Do you have any idea how worried everyone has been over you Tink, or how many people have been affected since you fuckin vanished?"

"I'm sorry Erik," whispered Lucy. "Believe me when I say it wasn't my intention for anything like that to happen. Granted I definitely learned a lot while I was away."

"It had better be worth it Tink," growled Cobra.

"How about you stop being an ass and come give me a hug?" smirked Lucy. He made his way over to the celestial mage and wrapped his arms around her petite form.

"Shit Lucy, you're magic containers are still low. I thought you would have recovered in the celestial world," said a surprised Cobra.

"If I was a spirit then the 12ish hours I spent there would have me healed right up, but since I'm not and with the time flow difference I am no better off than I was when I left that day," grimaced Lucy, before passing out in Cobra's arms.

"Well shit!" exclaimed Cobra. _Kaleb! Kaleb can you hear me?_ Cobra yelled his thoughts out, hoping the mindbender mage would hear him. _For fucks sake Kaleb, answer me!_ Cobra's patience was wearing thin. _It's one in the morning Cobra! What the hell could you possibly need?_ Kaleb's irate voice entered Cobra's thoughts. _I found Lucy. We're at the park just outside the bazaar._ It was quiet for a minute before Kaleb replied. _Thane and I are on our way there now._ Cobra sighed in relief.

"Cobra! Cobra where the hell are you?" yelled Thane's voice into the night.

"We're over here," Cobra yelled back to the two mages. "Why didn't you bring anyone else?"

"Because unlike you everyone else is sleeping, or at least in their quarters," retorted Kaleb. "Laxus' team is still on their mission, but once they check in tomorrow I am sure they will be heading right back. Hopefully Cristoff can leave early to heal Lucy, because I don't think I've seen magic containers so low before."

"Perhaps we should take her to your father's estate for now," suggested Thane. "I doubt she'll get any rest at the guild or embassy, and it's going to take her some time to replenish her magic." Kaleb nodded his head in agreement. He pushed a stray strand of hair off Lucy's face and watched her sigh in content. _Dad?_ Kaleb waited to see if Arman was still awake. _Yes Kaleb?_ Replied the elder Pradesh. _We are coming to the estate. Cobra found Lucy._ Kaleb could hear Arman's gasp at the news. _Bring her to the main room and we'll get her settled._

Thane teleported the four of them into Arman's living room, where he stood waiting for them. Cobra had Lucy in his arms still, and glanced around the room. The room was painted wine red with tan furniture to offset the dark walls. A couple of lamps emitted soft light that made the room look like it was glowing. Arman put his hand to Lucy's forehead and sighed in relief. _Seems like Tink has managed to wiggle her way into Bix's family as well_. He couldn't help but internally laugh at how she managed to fit in everywhere.

"What do we do now?" inquired Cobra.

"We'll set her up in one of the guest bedrooms for now," insisted Arman. "Thane. Kaleb. You will need to let the guild know she has been found and inform Erza as well. I am sure she is going to have many visitors once she wakes up." He smiled down at the blonde beauty.

"Maybe we won't have so many mages on edge anymore either," shrugged Cobra. "It'll be nice not to hear so many angry or depressing thoughts, and stop having so many pissy dragon slayers." The three Boscans laughed at Cobra.

"Follow me into her suite Cobra. I will leave the rest in your capable hands Kaleb," Arman said while turning and ushering Cobra to follow him. The hallways were the same wine red as the living room and had small wall lamps to light their way. Cobra pulled the sheet back and layed Lucy on the bed. Arman tucked Lucy in and placed a kiss upon her brow. Cobra stood there watching her breath in and out slowly.

"You should get some sleep son. I don't think she'll disappear on us anytime soon," Arman said while clapping a hand on the slayer's shoulder. Cobra continued to stare at Lucy for a while, even after Arman had left the room. He found a chair in the corner and sat there watching her, until sleep claimed him.

The events of the past 12 hours, or 46 days depending on how you look at things, seemed to play in a loop in Lucy's mind while she slept. She was trying to absorb all of the information she had learned while in the Celestial world and figure out how she was going to explain it to everyone once she was awake. The news she had was mostly good,but she still had a hard time accepting the responsibility that had been given to her.

"Hey Tinkerbell," the rough voice of Cobra entered her dream realm. "I know you are on the verge of waking up. I've been able to hear your thoughts for the last several minutes." He chuckled at Lucy's groan, not wanting to deal with anything yet. "Come on Tink. You've been gone for 46 days and have been sleeping for another 2. Laxus and the team will be back today at some point, so I figured you should maybe bathe or something before you meet them."

 _Nope, not going to happen. I happen to be very comfortable in this bed Erik!_ Cobra smirked at her defiance and pulled the covers off of the celestial mage. Lucy bolted upright when the warmth was hastily ripped from her. She felt dizzy from sitting up so fast and rested her head and her knees, while Cobra outright laughed at her.

"Come on Tink. Let's get you in that tub and some food in your stomach before the rest of your harem to arrives," stated Cobra while listening to Lucy internally complain about rude dragons. "I could just throw you out into the sea. I'm sure it'd be just as refreshing." Lucy glared at Cobra and made her way to the bathroom where a bath was waiting for her and slammed the door behind her. _Awe! Erik did you get this ready for me?_ Lucy thought it was a sweet gesture from the poison slayer, and felt a little bad at slamming the door in his face.

"There's nothing sweet about me Tink," muttered Cobra outside her door, while Lucy giggled. She slipped into the hot water of her bath and moaned as she sunk into its depths. The water had a faint green tinge to it and an earthy smell that calmed her anxiousness. She let herself completely relax and temporarily forgot about what was waiting for her once she left the comfort of the room.

Her mind started to wonder as she imagined a pair of dark blue eyes roaming over her submerged body and her breath hitched. Her hand travelled sensually from her neck, down and across her collarbone to the valley between her lush breasts, wishing they were his lips instead. Her other hand travelled across her flat stomach to the top of her clit, where she gingerly ran a finger over it. Her nipples puckered as the all too familiar sensation slowly started to build. She pinched her nipple as she dipped a finger into her wet pussy and shuddered. She imagined it was his large rough hands that were manipulating her body and coaxing her to the edge. Lucy started to thrust two fingers into herself, while arching her back and bit her lip to keep her moan from escaping. It had been too long and she was oh so close.

"Luce hurry up already," whined Natsu. Lucy shrieked and slipped under the surface, inhaling water. She resurfaced spitting out what she swallowed, and internally cried at being denied her happy ending.

"Luce you ok?" she heard Natsu ask.

"Yea Natsu. I'm fine and will be out shortly," replied Lucy sighing. She asked Virgo for a change of clothes and quickly threw underwear on and dressed in a baby blue racerback tank and black shorts. She opened the door and got one step out, before Natsu was crushing her to his chest.

"Geez. Let her breathe fire fucker," Cobra stated rolling his eyes.

"Go to hell bleach breath!" retorted Natsu. "I have so much to tell you Luce! The stuff that's been going on around here is crazy. I found a mate. Bickslow and Laxus have been huge grumps while you've been gone. Vander is super cool . . ."

"Did you say you found a mate?!" Lucy looked at him dumbfounded.

"Ah yeah," Natsu replied nervously while scratching the back of his neck. "I haven't told her yet though, but we have been on some dates."

"Flame tard decided not to tell her until you came back, which is just stupid in my mind," commented Cobra. "Granted Laxus is doing the same thing so maybe you Fairy Tail dragons are just plain weird."

"You're a Fairy Tail wizard too Erik," Lucy said with a small smile in her face. "So are you stupid or weird?"

"What the hell Tink?" demanded Cobra and Lucy's melodious laugh was his answer. The two dragon slayers looked at each other, content at having their favourite mage back and in good spirits.

"Back up a second," said Lucy while putting her pointer finger on her chin in thought. "Did you say Laxus is doing the same thing that Natsu is doing? Does that mean he has found his mate as well?"

"Indeed," replied a male voice from behind Lucy. "Seems as though your remaining single dragon slayer kin have chosen my daughters as their mates." Lucy turned around and smiled warmly at the Boscan ambassador. "It's great to have you back my dear." Arman opened his arms and Lucy dived into them. Arman was everything Lucy wished her father would have been; warm, affectionate, and loving. He made her feel safe, protected; like nothing could harm her while she was in his embrace. He kissed the top of her head and she pulled back to look up at the elder Pradesh's face and they smiled at one another.

"Why don't we go and get some brunch and we can catch you up what you've missed while you were away," suggested Arman. Lucy nodded in agreement while staying tucked into his side as he lead them to dining area. The smell from the dining room was heavenly and the table was covered in a variety of foods; pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream, bacon, cubed hash browns, toast, and scrambled eggs. Lucy looked over her shoulder to see Natsu salivating over the spread. _It's nice to know that some things never change._ The four of them took a seat at the table and dished themselves. Lucy looked around hoping to see the rest of her family, but when no one else showed up she almost felt a sense of loss.

"Don't worry Luce," Natsu said with ketchup smile. "They'll all be back here before you know it!" She smile back at the fire dragon slayer.

"Arman," Lucy started out cautiously. "How is Zen doing? I didn't hurt anyone that day did I? Oh Mavis, did I make things worse?" Arman chuckled at Lucy.

"Zen is in perfect condition," explained Arman. "He woke up the next morning and the family sat down to explain what had happened to him. Zen also explained his situation and his life while in Pergrande, which he can tell you if he feels up to it. Zen has been taking his Sudehpah lessons as well as physical training with Kaleb. We still haven't figured out what type of mage he is and his magic hasn't come to the surface yet."

"He's tough Luce! If him and Laxus went up against one another in a fight of strength I don't know who would win," Natsu grinned. "I may have fought him to see how he faired."

"Yea, and you got your ass handed to you!" smirked Cobra. Natsu's cheeks flushed red, he crossed his arms in front of his chest and turned his head to the side in embarrassment.

"Well I am relieved to hear that he's all better now and I'm sure his magic will come out soon," Lucy assured the mages. _They're going to blow a gasket when I fill them in on Zen and his magic._ "Tell me about how you met your mate and what she's like. I haven't met Xally yet and don't know much about her. Actually I really don't know much about any of them besides Arman and Bix." Lucy was sad after coming to that realization.

She had only spent roughly 48 hours with the Pradesh family, but already felt like she belonged - more so here than she did Fairy Tail lately. Everyone one else was moving forward with their lives, getting married/finding mates, moving in together, having kids - everything she wanted for herself. She was frustrated and saddened that it hadn't happened to her yet. Now Natsu had found his mate, and while she was extremely happy for him it also made her doubt herself. Was there something wrong with her? Was she incapable of being loved or giving love in that capacity? She shook her head to clear her thoughts and tried to focus on what Natsu was saying - something about being thrown in the sea and waves bringing him to the shore.

"It was crazy Lucy," said an awed Natsu. "I looked into her beautiful eyes and my whole being froze. The next thing I knew was my dragon surfacing and yelling that she was mine and that I had to have her. Gajeel had explained how the mating process worked to all of the slayers once, since he was the first to claim a mate."

"That couldn't have been a more awkward situation. Metal bits explaining how we had to claim and bite our mates," Cobra shivered, remembering that particular night and filling in the people present at the table. All the slayers had gathered at the guild one night for drinks, shortly after the battle in Hargeon. Gajeel had actually called the meeting saying he had something important to share with the rest of the slayers. He informed everyone that Levy was his mate and that he'd be claiming her as soon as they were back in Magnolia. The first gen and third gen dragon slayers had a vague idea of what it entailed, but the second gen were sorely lacking in all information that pertained to dragon mates.

Gajeel informed them that their dragon would tell them who their mate was, when they were ready to settle down and not a moment sooner. You may have know your mate your entire life but until the dragon was willing to start a nest, or family, they would stay quiet. Gajeel confessed that he had known Levy was his mate since the Eclipse Gate fiasco, and didn't know how to approach her on the subject. He stated that once the dragon has laid the claim you'd start to notice little things about them. The way their hair glimmers in the sun, or how their eyes shine when they are happy. Needless to say he got razzed for being mushy.

The process is completed in three bites, all of which have to be completed while the mate is orgasming. It takes roughly a week for each bite to heal and it's best to complete the bonding process in a secluded area. Dragon slayers will need to be away for a minimum of a month, and the chances of getting pregnant during that time are high. The bite can be placed anywhere on the mate, but most dragons place the bite on the crook of their mates neck. Once the process is complete a small dragon will be permanently etched onto the mates skin. The size and color of the dragon will depend on the strength and type of slayer placing the mark.

"Well that explains how everything will go down, but what do you think of Xally?" inquired Lucy. She really wanted to know Natsu's feelings towards the water mage.

"She is quiet and shy," Natsu started out with a goofy grin on his face. "Her cheeks flush when I say or do something stupid . . ."

"Which is frequently," scoffed Cobra. Natsu chose to ignore Cobra and continue on.

"She is ridiculously easy to talk too. Xally makes me feel calm and complete. She is my other half and I love her. I can't imagine going forward in life and not having her by my side."

"Awe Natsu! That's so sweet and endearing," Lucy sniffled and whipped a stray tear from her eye. "Where is Xally now?"

"She works at the hospital as a pedia . . . petia . . . she helps kids get better," beamed Natsu. "She'll be gone for another day, but then she's off for 5. I hope you'll be able to meet her Luce! I really need you to like her and accept her so that I can claim her." Lucy gave him a puzzled look. "You're a dragon queen Luce." Natsu stated that like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I don't understand," Lucy said while looking at Cobra for more information. He shook his head stating he didn't understand either.

"I can shed some light on the subject Lucy," intervened Arman. "Nurem was Cristoff's dragon and we were lucky enough to have her around for the majority of Cristoff's childhood before she had to leave. A dragon family is called a nest and it's ruled by a queen. A queen is essentially the head of the nest; she's kind, compassionate, keeps everyone in line, and is known as 'the home'. She is the constant is all dragon's lives, a symbol of hope and love. The queen generally mates with a king dragon; the strongest, the protector, the decision maker. Together they provide for the nest and ensure the safety of their family. I know that you are kin to all of Fairy Tail's dragon slayers. As the queen of the nest it is your duty to ensure everyone's safety and that means vetting all mates that come into it. Dragon's used to issue challenges for the mate to complete or a test of strength. I do not know if that happens with slayers or not. Also I am not sure how that makes you a queen since you're not a slayer yourself."

"She doesn't need to be," Natsu stated with a serious face. "Slayers are different in that sense. It's not very often that a female slayer is born, which is why we claim kin. We all want to have a family and be part of a nest. Lucy is that person for all of us and each of our dragons know she is a queen. It's part of the reason we were more moody while she was away. Lucy does have to vet all mates, but it'll be on her terms."

"That's why Gajeel, Sting, and Grey were able to claim their mates right away," commented Cobra. "She was already friends with them and trusts them. They're part of Fairy Tail, so therefore already part of her family."

"Exactly!" declared Natsu. "She will have to vet Xally and Emzadi before Laxus and I are able to mate with them." Lucy stared at Natsu with a blank look on her face. _How do I keep finding myself in these types of situations? I'm now responsible for an entire dragon nest on top of being a Celestial Princess while trying to find the Alpha Keys to unlock the King of all dragons._ Lucy could feel herself go into panic mode. She was being overwhelmed by everything that was being thrust upon her.

"Don't worry Luce," Natsu threw an arm across her shoulders. "You're a natural. Just looked at how you were able to reign in and tame tide pod and sir sparks a lot." Lucy covered her mouth and giggled into her hands, while Cobra shot Natsu a death glare.

"Laxus and Emzadi are promised," interjected Arman. "They signed the papers before Laxus left on his last mission. Now I know why you and Laxus needed to wait until you were back before he could mate my daughters. Everyone has felt the effects of you being away for so long my dear. There seems to be a certain spark that you took with you when you left, but I am relieved to see that everything will be back to normal shortly." Lucy blushed at Arman's compliment.

"Sorry to interrupt this happy reunion," came Vander's voice from a shadow he was stepping out of. "We have a bit of a situation."

"I thought you and Presca were on a mission for Kaleb?" Cobra said with a raised brow.

"We were, but no dice," replied Vander. "I let Kaleb know that we found nothing and he asked us to find Laxus and help them out. They may have ran into a problem."

"Seriously?" Cobra sighed. "What the hell happened?"

"Well what I was able to figure out, before all hell broke loose, was that they were returning from their mission when they were ambushed," Vander explained with a furrowed brow. "Pergrande and Joyan soldiers ambushed them."

"I thought Joya was a relatively peaceful country? I don't understand why they would ambush mages, especially from White Sea?" Lucy said with a confused look on her face.

"They are," Arman said while stroking his chin in thought. "There have been rumors of the King's next big move, but no one seems to know what that is." Van ran his hand through his hair in a frustrated manner.

"Van," whispered Lucy while placed her hands on top of his fisted ones. "What's wrong?"

"They took Bickslow."


	5. Chapter 4

I am trying to stick to updating every 2/3 days, just depends on my work schedule. I don't want to leave you hanging for too long! As always thanks for your continued support!

 _Bickslow had been captured?_ The thought was strange in Lucy's mind. Bickslow generally always stayed on the offensive and rarely ever participated in close range combat. His acrobatics and babies made him excellent at long range attacks, that often proved very effective. Sneaky up on him and his babies was no easy feat, but yet someone had accomplished it. Lucy was worried about the condition of her family and more importantly Bickslow.

"So when do we leave?" Lucy asked with resolve.

"I'm taking Natsu and Cobra with me," stated Vander. "Laxus has instructed me to tell you that you are not to leave the safety of the house. Granted I understand where he's coming from, but I don't agree with him Lucy. I think you'd be an asset with your spirits."

"Then let me come Van," Lucy practically begged. "I can find Bickslow."

"I'm sorry," Vander hung his head a little. "It's Laxus' mission and he's calling the shots." Lucy glared defiantly at Vander with her hands on her hips. Bickslow had been abducted from the team during their mission. The idea seemed foreign and she was still trying to wrap her head around it. He was part of the Thunder Legion and was a talented seith mage.

"We don't know where he is," murmured Vander. "Kaleb hasn't been able to get a read on him and the slayers can't find his scent. It's unlikely they would have gotten far on foot and I highly doubt they've made it to the border yet." Lucy shivered at the thought of Bickslow being tossed into the gladiator pit like Zen was. "The team is waiting for me to return to them with information, but I have no leads and no idea where to start looking for him."

Lucy gulped. She knew she could find Bickslow, but she needed to convince Vander to take her to the battlefield. She looked towards Cobra who nodded his head in understanding at the plan she was formulating in her head. It was a bit underhanded, but she had to make sure she made it to the others.

"Don't worry Tink we'll get em back for ya," Cobra winked at Lucy.

"I'm all fired up now," said Natsu with flaming fists.

"Hold onto my shoulders," explained Vander. "We'll be travelling via the shadows. It's going to be cold and dark for a minute, so hang onto your balls and don't squeal like a little girl." Vander smirked at the two slayers, both of which scoffed at the shadowquip mage. They walked over to Vander, each slayer placing a hand his shoulder before they started to meld into the shadows. Lucy lunged forward at the last minute and wrapped her arms around Erik's waist.

It was dark and creepy. The shadows nipped at her heels as the cold seeped into her soul. Her hold on Erik started to loosen, but thankfully they entered the outskirts of a small town before her grip failed. Off to the side stood the rest of the team. Lucy was taking in their battered forms, but was relieved to see that no one was seriously injured.

"What the fuck Vander!" yelled Laxus. "I told you that she was to stay put." Vander looked behind him and for the first time he realized that Lucy had tagged along for the ride.

"Oh no you don't Sparky!" Lucy yelled right back at Laxus. "You don't get to dictate where I can and can't go. If you didn't want me on this mission then you should have told Vander to talk to the boys in private. You know me! You knew I wouldn't be able to stay away when my family in danger." The two blondes were glaring each other down, neither one willing to budge. Laxus huffed and looked away while Lucy smiled and jumped in the air at her win.

"Now that everything is settled, what are we going to do now? We are not any further to locating Bickslow than we were an hour ago," commented Freed. The group of mages deflated at Freed's statement.

"Tink, you should probably fill them in on your plan," Cobra nudged her with his elbow.

"Oh right!" Lucy said a bit embarrassed. "I know how to find Bickslow. Granted it'd be much easier if I had canes venatici, since I'm not a hundred percent sure this'll work."

"Blondie what are you rambling on about," Laxus asked with a pointed look in her direction.

"Well you see I might have, kinda, sorta bonded Bix to me when we were healing Zen," Lucy stuttered with a blush on her cheeks.

"Bonded! Bonded how?!" sputtered Cristoff. An irrational sense of fear and anger swam into his vision. He was having a hard time wrapping his head around the fact that Lucy was bonded to his brother.

"We were all there Blondie and you and Bix definitely didn't have sex in that room to bond him to you," Laxus raised an eyebrow at Lucy.

"Good god Laxus! Get your mind out of the damn gutter you perv!" Her face went tomato red at the insinuation. "It's called a celestial meld. I can explain the intricacies later when we are all back home safe." Cristoff's dragon calmed with the news that Lucy wasn't. However it didn't help that his dragon was sending Cristoff images of her long, lean legs wrapped around his waist as he thrusted vigorously into her. He wanted to dominate the sexy blonde, needed too. _Mate! Need to claim her!_

"I need to meditate for a couple of minutes, so that I can find him and from there we can come up with a plan of attack," Lucy stated confidently. She sat on the forest floor and cleared her mind. _Bickslow I need you to show me where you are, please._ A pulse of magic flared and she could see a green glow where the seith mage had been taken. _Loke are you able to locate where Bix is from the connection?_ She waited patiently for an answer.

The rest of the team stared at the celestial mage in awe. Lucy was floating a couple feet in the air, with her magic pulsating around her. She was encased in a soft golden glow that was reaching out to the other mages to caress and calm them. Lucy wanted to soothe their anxiety and this was her magics way of doing so.

 _Princess I have located him. He is in an old barn about three miles southeast of your current location. I've counted nine people in the vicinity and four of them are mages._ Lucy sent her thanks to Loke and started to bring herself out of her meditative state. Lucy relayed what she had learned to the team and waited to see what the plan would be.

"Cris, Natsu, and I will cause a distraction to draw most of their attention to us," Laxus started to explain his plan. "Vander, Cobra, and Lucy will hide in the shadows until they are able to get Bix free. I doubt they're dumb enough to leave him unattended. Freed I want you on the perimeter of the site so that no one can escape. Let's pack up and get our seith mage back!"

The group of mages made their way to Bickslow's location in silence, so that they didn't alert anyone to their whereabouts. Everyone was tense and on edge. The old farmsite was well hidden in the the lush forest. The old red barn looked like it'd be knocked over by a strong wind. The windows were all broken and there were boards missing in random places, while the roof had partially collapsed. Vander grabbed Cobra and Lucy and melded into the shadows while Freed made his way to the back of the barn in case anyone tried to leave that way. Laxus, Natsu, and Cristoff all smirked at one another; they were going to have fun causing a ruckus.

Natsu started a couple of trees on fire, Laxus used his lightning to topple several sixty foot trees, and Cristoff used his dragon roar to explode a cluster of trees. Six of Bickslow's captors came to investigate the disturbance. Two of them were water mages and easily doused Natsu's flames, and became offensive once the fire was out. Cristoff took on the four non-mages with ease. His training under Kaleb paid off and he was easily able to disarm and tie the men up. Laxus was grinning at the water mages. It wasn't very often he had easy prey. He let loose one roar and it crippled to two mages and then he tied them up and hauled them over to the other four.

There were three enemies inside the building still and the other two mages were amongst them. Bickslow was tied to a chair and gagged, but very much alive and relatively unharmed. Vander and Cobra went after the three men while Lucy called Cancer to assist with getting Bickslow free. Cancer made quick work of the restraints and returned to the celestial world. Lucy called out Capricorn to get him out of the barn and back with the others. Vander and Cobra were wrapping up things on their end too, so Lucy followed Capricorn out to see the rest of her team idly talking to one another. Cobra and Vander lugged out the remaining three captors and placed them with the others.

"Well you've effectively rendered them all speechless, so how do you propose we get any information out of them," asked Lucy with a hand on her hip. The boys looked around each other, pleased with the outcome and Lucy rolled her eyes. _Ugh men._ Cristoff quickly healed Bickslow and handed him a bag that held his babies. They all quickly came to life and started started circling the team.

"How did you get captured?" Natsu asked Bickslow.

"They have a mage on their team that can make you immobile. Think of it like Ever's powers, minus the stone part," Bickslow explained to the team. "She came up behind me and her eyes glowed purple and I was done. However I was able to hear everything they were talking about. Apparently they thought I was the missing Pradesh son from the gladiator pits. There's a large reward for anyone who brings him in."

"Son of a bitch," Vander swore under his breath. "Those fuckers just can't leave him alone."

"The king wants to breed Zen to powerful female mages to see if he can replicate his powers in his offspring and train them from day one," Bickslow cringed. "The King is hoping that if they are born and raised in the pits that they will be more compliant to their ways." Everyone had a look of disgust on their faces with the new information.

"Not to intrude, but does anyone else find that this seemed too easy?" piped up Freed. "I mean we were ambushed with double the men and more powerful mages earlier." Everyone stared, blinking at Freed. He was right though. They had a hard time defeating their ambushers when they kidnapped Bickslow and now they swooped in and had things handled in under fifteen minutes.

Magical power spiked and everyone's guard went up. The eight mages formed a circle and all faced towards to forest. Freed, Cristoff and Vander requiped their swords, Bickslow had his babies floating above the circle, and Lucy had her whip in hand.

"You just had to go and fuckin' jinx us," mumbled Cobra under his breath. "I can hear them. There's probably another dozen or so people hiding amongst the trees and these ones all seem to be mages."

"Well well well. Look at what we have here boys," came a shrill female voice. "Looks like we have quite a few fine specimen here this evening. These men will fetch high rewards in the gladiator pits." The auburn haired woman licked her lips as she eyed each one of them up, her eyes resting on Laxus. "Blonde hair and blue eyes, now that's a rarity in these parts. I think I might keep you to myself."

"Fuck you!" growled Laxus. "Just what the hell do you want?"

"She's one who caught me last time," Bickslow murmed to his team. "Watch for her glowing purple eyes."

"The King of Pergrande has issued a royal proclamation," sneered the woman. "He wants something very particular, and is willing to pay handsomely to find them."

"The King already has an army, mages, and berserkers. Why more could he possibly want?" demanded Cristoff.

"The items will be the icing on the cake for his grand plan!" the woman maniacally laughed.

"Good fuckin luck getting past us," fumed Vander. The woman smirked, and floated above them using air magic and her arsenal of mages attacked the group. The group advanced against their adversaries. Attacks were being launched in all directions, but these mages were more powerful than the ones that were watching Bickslow.

Lucy began to look around after she took down an air mage only to find he got back on his feet shortly afterwards. _There must be a support mage around here somewhere. Someone who is hanging back and healing from afar._ She used her whip on the air mage and flung him into another mage that was creeping up behind Vander. _Sagittarius I need your help. I need you to keep them occupied while I try to find the support mage._ The half horse half man zodiac came through his gate and started letting arrows fly.

Lucy skimmed the treeline for any sign that someone was hiding, but couldn't spot anything. Lucy noticed that the female mage had yet to engage anyone in battle and she was occasionally looking behind her. Almost like she was checking something. Lucy started to pay more attention to the trees directly behind their main enemy. She spotted a glamour in between two smaller trees. A spell had been cast in hopes of hiding the support mage. _Sagittarius I need you to stay here and continue to support the team. Virgo I need a set of magic cancelling handcuffs. I'm going to tunnel over to that mage, so hand them to me when I am underground._

Lucy stardressed into Virgo and began tunneling towards her target. Virgo met her halfway there and handed her the cuffs. Lucy popped up directly where she thought the mage would be and Lucy kicked in the direction of the glamour, which fell upon impact. The support mage gasped in surprise and cowered. Lucy punched the mage and knocked him out, before slapping the hand cuffs on his wrists.

Meanwhile the immobility mage decided it was time to intervene in the fight. She was freezing Lucy's team, starting with Natsu, Bickslow, and Freed; catching them all by surprise. Cobra was able to stay a step ahead thanks to his soul reading abilities. Unfortunately Vander was next to fall victim to her powers, thanks to a powerful blast from another mage that knocked him down. The remaining dragon slayers had their eyes closed and were relying heavily on their instincts. Cobra was shouting out attacks he could hear coming, but they were all beginning to wear down.

Lucy watched with bated breath as she watched her family take hit after hit. She wasn't sure how she could help. If she went running in then she would most likely be frozen as well. Cristoff took a rather nasty hit from behind and ended up face first in the dirt. Her heart lurched at seeing the proud slayer like that. _How do I avoid her eyes? I don't have a mirror to reflect against like in the myths with Medusa, but maybe . . . I don't need to look directly at her._

Lucy changed her stardress to Capricorn. Hoping that the celestial sunglasses she adorned would be enough to not have the magic effect her. _Virgo can you please bring me another set of handcuffs and ensure the rest of the team is alright. Also I think Cristoff may need some help._ Virgo popped out and handed Lucy the cuffs before heading to complete the rest of her Princesses request.

Lucy cracked her whip towards the auburn haired mage and wrapped it around one of her legs and pulled her towards the ground. The impact caused dust to float around the battlefield. Lucy was raising her whip over her head and was getting ready to launch it towards her enemy. A heated glare locked onto Lucy as the enemy channeled her immobility powers at the celestial mage, eyes glowing purple. Lucy didn't stop her movements though, and the mage started to panic. The whip wrapped itself around her wrist and careened her into the nearest tree, knocking her out cold. Lucy ran over to the defeated mage and securely placed the cuffs on her.

"All clear guys," Lucy yelled across the clearing to Laxus and Cobra. The boys smirked at each other and went all out. The remaining mages didn't have much fight left in them since Lucy had taken out their support mage earlier, and the fight fizzled out within minutes. Slowly the rest of the team started to move, albeit rather stiffly.

"Virgo how is he doing?" Lucy asked as she kneeled next to Cristoff, worry clearly etched across her face.

"He's unconscious Princess, but nothing appears to be broken. Punishment?" asked Virgo. Lucy shook her head at her spirits antics.

"Not today Virgo, but thank you for your help. You can head back now," Lucy smiled at Virgo as she headed back.

"That was some quick thinking Blondie," complimented Laxus. "What do we do with all the people who are down for the count?"

"I'll contact Farron and see what he says," replied Vander. "Not sure how this should be handled since we are in Joya." Lucy was feeling a bit tired from the battle and was leaning against Natsu for support and warmth.

"Well at least the only thing you managed to destroy this time round was the barn and a couple of trees, Natsu," Lucy said surveying the damage and letting a bubble of laughter escape her lips.

"Luce! That's not nice," whined Natsu, while the rest of the team laughed.

"Joyan soldiers will come and sort this mess out," stated Vander. "Let's all head back home and get Cris healed. Kaleb will want to be briefed about this shit show." Everyone agreed. Heading back sounded like a wonderful idea.


	6. Chapter 5

This is a very dense chapter, with tonnes of information. LOTS of foreshadowing! Thanks for continuing to read my story and all of the great reviews! Hope you continue to enjoy it!

* * *

Cristoff was on the edge of staying asleep and waking up. He could feel the warm rays of the sun on his nude body and the birds chirping outside of the window. What he wasn't expecting was to feel a small, warm hand tracing circles on his chest. He inhaled sharply at the feeling of a tongue gently running over one of his nipples, and a distinctly female giggle that floated through the air. The feminine hand continued to leave feather like touches against his skin, which had his cock twitching. Kisses were being trailed along his jawline and neck, hovering oh so close to his actual lips without touching them.

He gasped when a wandering hand wrapped around the base of his cock, and with a loose grip started to make its gradual way towards the tip. Cristoff tipped his head back as she continued her slow torture, occasionally using a digit to brush over the tip of his hardened member. He groaned when her grip tightened more while speeding up her ministrations. The slayer was thoroughly enjoying the havoc she was causing his body.

A tongue flicked over the head and he moaned at the feeling, wanting more. Lips wrapped around his tip and sucked gently. His eyes flew open to find blonde locks draping around his pelvis. Her mouth began to work his stiff cock, slowly taking him in inch by inch until she found her comfort zone. Her head started to bob and Cristoff fisted his hands in the sheets.

"Just like that baby," he encouraged. His eyes rolled back when he felt her deep throat his large member, and he couldn't help but place a hand on her head to guide her on a pace that would drive him crazy. His hips started to thrust forward into her warm mouth. He needed her to know that she was driving him crazy.

Cristoff glanced down, staring into lusty, chocolate orbs that made him want to plunge his cock into her wet pussy and make her scream his name to the stars. A free hand gently massages his balls, and he could feel himself on the brink.

"Faster baby . . . yea just like that," he moaned aloud. He was so close the cumming. He could feel his balls tightening, ready to explode. She dragged her teeth along the base of his shaft, taking him deep.

"LUCY!" Cristoff roared, as the vibrations from her humming around his cock sent him over the edge. Cristoff sat up in his bed wanting to smother the celestial mage in kisses of appreciation, but when he looked around she wasn't there. _A dream . . . a bloody fucking dream!_ Cristoff ran a hand through his hair and took a few deep, shuddering breaths. He looked over at the lacrima clock on his nightstand to see the glowing blue numbers reading 8:07 AM. Cristoff walked to the bathroom to take a quick shower and clean his post dream mess.

After his shower Cristoff made his way down to the dining room and as he got closer to the doors he could hear Lucy's infectious laugh. It had him smiling while mentally preparing himself and his dragon before walking across the threshold. Cristoff inhaled sharply as Lucy turned to see who had entered the room, and flashed him a smile that made his heart flutter.

"Good morning Cristoff," Arman said welcoming his son to the table. "We've been waiting for your arrival this morning." Cristoff glanced around the table. Lucy was sitting between Laxus and Natsu. Xally was sitting next Natsu and Emzadi beside Laxus. Freed was conversing with Farron, Kaleb, and Zen while Bickslow, Vander and Cobra were tossing insults at one another. He smirked when he heard Vander tell Cobra that only a pussy wouldn't claim his mate when he knew whom she was. There was an open chair between his father and Zen, so he made his way to the vacant spot and filled his plate full of food.

His family was altogether, which didn't happen all that often and it made him happy. Laxus and Natsu would be his future brother-in-laws in a few short months. Laxus he didn't mind, but he mentally cringed at all the damage Natsu may cause in the future. However he made Xally extremely happy, so he couldn't cause the fire slayer too much bodily harm. He was also fairly sure that Freed would be joining the family if Farron had his way. The two mages were smitten with one another and in his mind it was only a matter of time before Farron pounced on Freed. Freed had been keeping Farron at arms reach, according to the sound mage, and it was driving his brother crazy. Cristoff had suggested that maybe it was time for the cat to catch the mouse and end their game.

Arman cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention. "Alright my dear Lucy, now that we are all here I believe you should explain what occurred between yourself, Zen, and Bickslow and then what transpired while you were in the Celestial world. Maybe you can start with why you were mad at Leo?" Lucy could feel the curious stares upon her person. _Loke I need you to come out and help with some of the explanations please._ Loke materialized in a golden glow behind his key holder, and gave a slight bow to everyone at the table.

Lucy took a deep breath before launching into her tale. "Over the course of the past year I had been researching and learning more about the history of celestial magic. There seemed to be some theories that were quite out there and I had a hard time believing they were real. Turns out Zen and I were destined to find one another since an Archangel mage's duty is protect celestial mages. I could feel the magic pulsating from the key that had Zen's soul attached to it and knew immediately what he was. Zen's magic is very rare and sought after. I was pissed at Loke because I was fairly certain that on some level he knew exactly what kind of mage Zen was. After all each Archangel mage has a divine purpose to fulfill."

"How rare Cosplayer? You, Vander, and myself have rare magic as well," countered Bickslow.

"There hasn't been an Archangel mage in over five hundred years," Leo responded. "Archangel magic cannot be learned. Someone has to be born with it running through their being, but it's so much more than that. Like Lucy mentioned Zen was destined to find a celestial mage, they always are. Their life mission is to protect those whom are chosen."

"Chosen for what kitty?" asked a curious Cobra. Leo looked at Lucy and waited to see if she was going to explain further. Leo sighed as she kept her eyes glued to her feet.

"Lucy has been chosen by Draco the Celestial dragon to be the first ever mage to wield his key," Leo said with a proud smile. "It is a great honor." Lucy looked at the faces of her family to see the dumbstruck look on their faces.

"That's . . . that's amazing Luce!" exclaimed Natsu. "When will we be able to meet him?" Lucy snorted at Natsu's enthusiastic question.

"It's not that easy Natsu," sighed Lucy. "In order to gain Draco's key I have to find the seven Alpha Keys. Each Alpha Key is directly correlated with a star in his constellation. The key that was on Zen was Rastaban, the head of the dragon. Once I have all seven keys then I'll have to merge them together to form Draco's key."

"What's so difficult about that?" Vander asked since he felt like he was missing something.

"There are only two ways to find the Alpha keys," Lucy said directing her answer at Vander. "The silver key of Canes Venatici, the hunting dogs, and they'll be able to sense where the keys are located, however I do not have a contract with them." Lucy started to play with her hands since she was nervous about talking about the second option.

"What else aren't you telling us Blondie?" Laxus levelled a hard stare in her direction and Lucy gulped.

"Zen's magic will also be able to locate the remaining keys since the power of the heavens flows through him," Leo stepped up and filled in for Lucy. "Zen, the Celestial Spirit King has asked that you consider coming to our world to learn about your magic and to perfect you skill. This is being offered to you whether you help Lucy or not, however keep in mind that if you say no to protecting our Princess that great strife will fall upon this land."

"Don't pressure him like that Loke," scolded Lucy rounding on the lion spirit with a death glare. "It's not fair to just expect someone who doesn't know me, who just escaped being a slave, and has finally reunited with his family to just leave to just walk up and leave."

"Lucy I would like to take Leo up the offer," Zen's quiet, but strong voice came from across the table. "Before I leave, and before I decide anything about this mission, I would like to talk to you; get to know you first." Zen had heard nothing but amazing things about the Light of Fairy Tail, but he needed to inspect her for himself. Lucy smiled and nodded her head.

"Miss Lucy you mentioned something about a celestial meld and that's how you could find Bickslow," Freed asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Right!" Lucy smiled, relieved at the change in topic. "A celestial meld is made by making a physical claim on a person."

"Where do I sign up sweetheart?" winked Vander.

"Oh god no! Nothing like that Van," adonished Lucy, while everyone laughed at her expense. _I really need to start watching how I word things._ "Bix and Zen each have a mark of my magic on their wrists. It's a replica of my magic symbol when I call forth my magic. I didn't actually know I was doing it. It was just instinctual."

"Is that how you were able to save Bix from the evil soul and help Zen have a rested sleep," Cristoff asked the celestial mage. "The mark let you know where they are and you're able to heal, soothe, or calm their soul?"

"That is correct," implored Loke. "Zen would receive a mark from Lucy no matter what, or whether he decides to take the mission or not. Their magics are tied together and this is the physical representation of that. Melding with Bickslow was a shock to say the least, but the Spirit King explained that Lucy will be able to claim several other protectors; one for each star in Draco's constellation. Zen will make eight and her mate will make nine." Lucy shot the smirking lion a death glare.

"Mate?!" bristled the lightning dragon slayer. "What's this about Lucy having a mate? She's not even a slayer." Loke kept his smug mouth shut and left Lucy to fend for herself.

"Well you see . . ." Lucy hesitantly started while watching her glowering kin. "I have been informed that since I will be the first ever celestial mage to hold Draco's key I will also be able to stardress and take on his dragon attributes, which means . . ."

"That you really will be THE dragon queen Luce!" exclaimed Natsu. Everyone looked at the fire slayer like he had grown a third head. "It makes total sense! We have all claimed her as kin already, which already made her a queen in our nest. However now Luce will be the queen over all slayers since Draco is the Alpha dragon. Once her mate is found he will rule beside her as our king."

"Backup here a minute here," said a confused Bickslow. "You mean to tell me that Cosplayer has to travel god knows where to find six more keys in order to summon Draco, but while she is doing that she also has to care for her nest, still be a mage and take jobs to pay bills, and find a mate who'll be crazy enough take on all of that as well? Not to mention what the hell King douche of Pergrande is planning," Lucy nodded yes and Bickslow let out a long whistle.

"Was it Draco that dropped you off that night I found you Tink?" asked Cobra.

"Haha uh yea," Lucy nervously stated. "He wanted to see the slayer, whom had the smallest dragon in the nest, lacrima implanted. Apparently you aren't as ummmm . . . female as the dragon who owned that lacrima."

"Stupid fuckin dragon," growled Cobra. "How am I supposed to know that my dragon was female! Does it change anything for me? What about Laxus and Emzadi?"

"Laxus' dragon was male and Emzadi's was female, according to Draco," replied Lucy. "Nothing changes for you with having a female dragon within you either. You're just like every other slayer here." So far this conversation hadn't gone as bad as she thought it would.

 _"_ Does that mean that the dragon we had smelled the day you were taken to the Celestial world was Draco?" Emzadi asked tilting her head while voicing her thought. Lucy knodded her head to confirm the statement. _T_ _he Spirit King's new ruling should go over fine, but the dragon eggs might cause more of an issue._

"What's this about the Spirit King and dragon eggs?" Kaleb inquired. He had been keeping his mind trained on Lucy, in case she tried to hide something from them. He didn't want his family to be in danger and it might have been a bit underhanded, but he wanted to be prepared. However the glare she had sent him made him shudder.

"Lucy?" came the quiet voice of Xally while Lucy internally pleaded with Loke to field this one.

"Well it seems that in light of recent events the Spirit King has decided that there needs to be a protector of the spirits," recounted Loke from his meeting with said king. "More Celestial spirits are being treated like how Angel treated hers and the Spirit King will no longer tolerate it. However, he cannot break individual contracts with wizards since it goes about our laws. Grandpa Crux has found a loophole and after a brief ceremony Lucy now has the ability to take keys from irresponsible mages and either give the key back to the spirit or contract them to herself. Lucy is officially known a Princess of the Celestial World." Freed gasped, while everyone else looked on in shock.

"That's all of the good news," Capricorn stated as he walked through his own gate. "The reason an Archangel protector is required is because Lucy will be a target."

"What else is new," shrugged Natsu. "Luce has always had a target painted on her back. I don't see what's so different now."

"When news of this gets out," Leo said with a grim look on his face. "And it will, it always does, Lucy will be sought after by many greedy men." Lucy wrapped her arms around herself and tried not to shudder a the thought of what they would do if the had captured her. Kaleb hearing her thoughts wrapped an arm around her trying to comfort the shaken mage.

"With Draco's key she will have the ability to restore dragons to this world," Capricorn elaborated. "There are five hidden eggs in this realm that she will need to hatch with her powers and if someone manages to get their hands on Lucy and an egg, or hatchling, then they will have the ability to control them, since a hatchling will bond with Lucy the minute it's born and stay by her side until it's a fledgling." A heavy silence filled the room. There was a lot of information to absorb and everyone was lost in their own thoughts.

"And I thought that Farron and Kaleb had a lot on their plate," muttered Vander, attempting to lighten the dreary mood.

"Will the dragon eggs need to be found right away?" Emzadi asked.

"The eggs cannot be located until Lucy has Draco, because he was the one that hid the eggs in the first place," Capricorn further explained. "Lucy will be left vulnerable after she hatches each egg and it will be up to the nest to protect her."

"This is a lot to take in," Arman whispered with a sad smile. "There is much to think on and to plan going forward. I suggest we all take some time to go over the situation and then we can create a plan going forward."

"Don't worry Luce," Natsu said with his charismatic smile noticing her slumped form leaning against Kaleb still. "You're the Light of Fairy Tail, the dragon queen, and the best damn thing that has happened to so many of us. We'll help you every step of the way." Lucy smiled at Natsu before running into his arms and hugging the pink haired mage. She let the heat of his embrace seep into her.

For now Lucy was safe and in the comfort of people she cared about and who cared about her. For now she could pretend that her life wasn't about to get a thousand times more complicated. For now she could forget about the weight of the world pressing down on her.

* * *

After the events of the morning Arman had convinced Lucy to take a nap and once she awoke the world wouldn't seem so bleak. Emzadi and Xally had also volunteered to take the celestial mage shopping, so when mid afternoon rolled around all three women could be found in a shop looking at clothing, shoes, and jewellery. Lucy had been quieter than normal, but was determined to relax and have fun with the Pradesh women.

So far on their trip Lucy had learned that Xally's parents had died in a tragic car accident when she was five. Since her parents were friends with Arman he stepped up and adopted Xally when she was six. Xally was the last to be adopted by the caring man. Lucy knew that she was a talented water mage from listening to Natsu talk about her lovingly, but she wasn't aware that she was also a very capable healing mage as well.

Being a healing mage and helping people was what had inspired her to attend the University of Pelerno and obtain her PHD in pediatric medicine. Children were the future and if she could help one sick or injured child, make a difference in their life, then it was worth every effort. She was currently working at the Palerno Emergency Hospital in their pediatric ward. Xally mentioned she had talked to Natsu about where to live once they were mated, but so far nothing had been decided.

The look in Xally's eyes when she talked about Natsu was so full of love and wonder. It was obvious to see that she cared deeply for her best friend, and that she was smitten with his exuberant personality, which was opposite of her more shy demeanour. Xally told Lucy that they had went out on a date and Natsu had gotten them kicked out of the restaurant for trying to make his food more crispy with his flames. Then there was the time they went out for a walk in the park and Xally stopped to give Natsu a blowjob and when he came he shot flames out of his mouth that started a tree on fire. Thankfully Xally is a water mage. Lucy couldn't help but laugh at all of the trouble the poor girl was going to get into being Natsu's mate. They did compliment one another quite well and Lucy was excited to give Natsu her blessing on his choice of mate.

Emzadi was a solar dragon slayer whom had a lacrima implanted into her by the age of one by her clan, so that a rival clan wouldn't steal it. When the rival clan attacked Emzadi's clan her parents will killed fighting to protect their home. Emzadi was dropped off at an orphanage that wanted to sell her and cut her lacrima out. Arman had found out through a family friend about Emzadi's situation and immediately petitioned for her adoption.

Emzadi benefited greatly from spending time with Cristoff's dragon, Nurem. She learned that her mate would have to challenge her to a fight in front of the nest and subdue her. Once she was subdued it would be up to the queen to ensure that the mating transpired, because there were instances where another male dragon would attempt to kill the weakened male and mate the female himself. The queen not only validated the winner of the challenge, but also ensured the safety of newly mated couple. That was eye opening for Lucy and another item to add to her never ending list of duties. Thankfully Emzadi and Wendy were the only female dragon slayers in the nest. Lucy inquired if she would have to go through the same thing, but Emzadi wasn't sure since Lucy was THE Queen dragon. Lucy had immediately called out grandpa Crux and asked him to do some research on the topic.

Emzadi was wicked in hand to hand combat as well as being skilled in ranged combat. Being a solar dragon slayer the sun gave her an extra boost of energy and her solar attacks could melt through rock and vaporize a human body. She was also able to sun-hop to any location that the sun touched, very similar to Cristoff's moon-hopping abilities. Emzadi was also a gifted dancer and was constantly adding a flare here and there while they were out in the shopping district. Her blonde hair and orange eyes and bubbly personality suited her wonderfully, but Lucy knew she could be as harsh as the desert sun if anyone crossed her or a loved one. Emzadi was getting frustrated with the lightning slayer ignoring her and if he wasn't careful she was just going to pounce on him. She was going to give Laxus a run for his money and that was the cherry on the top and Lucy couldn't wait. Lucy would give Laxus her blessing to mate Emzadi, but only when he worked up the nerve to talk to her about it.

The girls told Lucy stories of how Bickslow and Vander were the holy terrors of their childhood, and the bane of their father's existence for the majority of the teenage years. Farron was always the most proper of the children and had wanted to follow in Arman's footsteps since he was ten. Kaleb and Cristoff spent most of their time together and also got into their fair share of mischief with Kaleb's ability to read minds and Cristoff's empathic abilities no one was safe.

The girls were wondering through random racks of clothes in the first store, but nothing seemed to tickle their fancy. Xally and Emzadi were looking for clothes they could use to tease their prospective mates, and Lucy wanted to fit in a little more while they were still in Bosco. Erza had called before Lucy had left on her shopping trip to inform her that Sting and Yukino's twins were due in three weeks. Yukino had asked for her to return home for the birth, and Lucy knew she couldn't deny her request, so she was going to be leaving Bosco sooner than she had anticipated.

The thought of leaving the Pradesh family made Lucy's heart hurt. They were as much family to her as Fairy Tail was. She wasn't sure what Laxus, Natsu, Emzadi, and Xally would do once they were mated, but she had a feeling they would be where she was, since the queen was home. Kaleb had a guild to run, Vander was going to work with Kaleb for a while, and Arman and Farron would continue their work as Ambassadors. Although Lucy had a feeling she would see Farron in Magnolia sooner rather than later due to the budding relationship between him and Freed.

Then there was Cristoff, her current crush and the man that inspired her wet dreams. The thought of him had heat pooling in her nether regions. Lucy knew he wasn't promised, Emzadi had assured her of that, but she wasn't confident enough to go up and ask him to spend a night with her. Lucy didn't think it was possible to want someone so much, when they hadn't even fully conversed yet, but the need to be with him was overwhelming.

"Hey Lucy," Emzadi waved her over to a clothing rack she was looking through. "I think I have found you the perfect outfit and you absolutely have to try it on!" Xally nodded her head feverishly in agreement and pushed Lucy into the changeroom. Lucy looked at the two piece ensemble and stripped down before placating the Pradesh women by putting on their pick and walking out to show them.

Xally's jaw dropped and Emzadi had a huge grin plastered to her face. When Lucy turned to view herself in the full length mirror she gasped. The material was a silky sapphire blue and the upper portion of the two piece was a tight fitting tube top with chiffon cuffs that wrapped around her upper arms. There was an intricate silver and blue jewelled pattern that went across the top of the sweetheart neckline, formed an X in the centre of her ample bosom and continued on across the bottom hem. The pants were made of the same silk material and sat low on her hips, forming a small V in the front. The same jewelled pattern wrapped around the waistband and flowed freely down her legs.

Xally clipped a silver necklace around Lucy's neck. It was a choker style with a long chain that dipped into the valley of her breasts, drawing a person's attention to her cleavage. Emzadi found a pair of silver wedges to complete the look. Lucy spun around in front of the mirror and giggled at how sexy she felt.

"You have to wear this to the guild party in two days!" squealed Emzadi. "Cristoff won't know what him Lucy." Lucy blushed at her words. "It's totally obvious he has a thing for you. You're the first person he looks for when he enters a room. Not to mention he was so lost while you were in the spirit world."

"I bribed Cobra with some toasted citric acid infused apple seeds to read his soul," giggled Xally behind her hands. "He may or may not have told me about the wet dreams he's been having about you."

Lucy groaned in embarrassment and placed her head in her hands. "You too are just too much, you know that." Said mages continued to laugh at Lucy's shy manor. "Cristoff is a dragon slayer and will mate for life. As much as I want to be with him, I can't. My heart is already too invested in him and if it turns out I'm not his mate I'll crumble. Besides there is too much at stake." Emzadi snorted at that. "It's true Em! I wasn't raised Boscan, so the thought of having an amazing night with Cris and then watching as he found a mate would kill me. It's better to be his friend only."

"What if you were his mate?" asked Xally softly. "What if it were to spend the rest of your life with him?"

"I don't know," Lucy said with a sigh. "Who'd want be with with when I am going to be pulled in a hundred different directions?"

"The right person would and he's out there somewhere!" Xally confidently pushed.

"The poor man is probably stuck somewhere in a hole Virgo dug as a trap," laughed Emzadi, followed by her two companions.

"We should probably get back soon, so that I can meet Zen. He wants to discuss a few things with me."

"Well we're not leaving until you purchase this outfit," Emzadi said while motioning to Lucy's body. Lucy caved to her demands and went to change into her regular clothes before heading to the till to pay.


	7. Chapter 6

I'll be away for work the next few days, so I'm not sure when the next update will be. Thanks for the continued support and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

Lucy stood on the balcony of her room, watching the sun set. The sky was hues of orange and the clouds were pink and purple cotton candy that seemed to be blushing from the gentle caress of the sun. Bird silhouettes scattered across the sky, returning to their nests for the night. The sun was half into the water and its reflection across the sea made it look like it was full, while the first twinkle of the stars were beginning to emerge. A knock sounded at Lucy's door startling her.

"It's open," Lucy gently yelled as she made her way to the entryway. There in the doorway stood the lunar dragon slayer, and her heart fluttered. He was wearing an open vest that showed the contours of his chest and abs nicely, his loose pants hung low on his hips, teasing her. Her mouth was suddenly dry and she couldn't formulate any coherent thoughts.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing," Cristoff smiled at the blonde mage in front of him. She took his breath away as her hair hung loose and tumbled down her back. The lavender strapless dress was snug against her curvy body and showed off her shapely legs. He'd never seen anyone as beautiful as her in his life.

"I'm okay," Lucy half smiled at him. "It's a lot to take in still, but what else can a person do?"

"You could walk away from it all," Cristoff suggested. "You could say no to everything."

"No!" Lucy said firmly. "I may not like the situation, may not be any good at being a dragon queen, hell I might not even be able to summon Draco in the end. One thing I know for sure is that I won't push my responsibility onto another and I certainly won't let the world go to hell on my account." Cristoff smile proudly at her and closed the distance between them, wrapping her in his arms.

"You are an unstoppable force, Lucy Heartfilia," Cristoff whispered into her hair. He let her scent wash over him and felt Lucy wrap her arms around his waist and hug him back. He moved them so they were standing on the balcony. "I want you Lucy. I want you so badly that it hurts." Lucy pulled back at his statement and stared into his eyes. The silver in his dark blue eyes seemed to be dancing in the moonlight; full of lust and something else.

"I can't Cristoff," Lucy placed a hand on his chest and pushed herself away from his embrace. "We're going back to Fairy Tail after the guild party and I am going to start figuring out how to be a queen. There is so much going on right now in my life and I know Kaleb has plans for you and Vander to starting looking into Pergrande's plans. I can't do this for one night and then go back to the way everything was, or stand by and watch as you take a mate." Cristoff looked at Lucy puzzled.

"Hey Lucy sorry I . . . am . . . late," Zen entered the room since the front door was open. "I can come back if you need me too."

"It's quite alright Zen," smiled Lucy as she raced to Zen's side. "Cristoff just stopped by briefly, but has some things he has to attend to." Cristoff narrowed his eyes at Lucy's easy dismissal of him.

"I'll see you at breakfast then," Cristoff stated and promptly left the room. He stormed down the halls of his father's house and tried to understand why Lucy would blow him off for Zen. _Did Lucy like Zen?_ That wayard thought had Cristoff halt in his tracks. _Could she . . . could she really like Zen. Have I read her wrong? Is my dragon wrong?_ He decided to go to the guild to see if Kaleb needed help with anything.

Lucy had watched Cristoff go with mixed emotions. She wanted to explain herself further to him, but she really needed to keep her word and talk to Zen about everything. Lucy knew she had somehow hurt the dragon slayer based on her cold departure, and wanted to figure why and how to fix it. _Cristoff will just have to wait until a later time._

"So where would you like to talk Zen?" Lucy politely asked the tall mage.

"I was hoping you'd be up for a walk along the beach," Zen managed to say after a while. "I thought the fresh air and stars would prove to be a calmly place for us as we talked." Lucy smiled brightly and clasped her hands together in excitement and nodded her head in consent.

Zen's jet black wings exploded from his back as he picked Lucy up bridal style and flew them to the beach. _I still can't believe that the black feathered tattoos on his back morphed into actual wings. Wings that he can use to literally get a birds eye view, or use as a shield or weapon._ The view of Pelerno from above was breathtaking with the outside lights of the houses looking like little torches, and held a beautiful glow to them. The warm air of the night felt soft against Lucy's skin as they continued to fly. When they landed Zen gently put her down and she squished her bare feet in the heat of the sand, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath of the sea air. She turned to Zen, ready to face this conversation.

"What would you like to know Zen?" Lucy decided to leave the ball in Zen's court and have him lead the conversation.

"Would you tell me about your life growing up?" That was one of this first things Zen wanted to know about Lucy. No one really seemed to know much about that part of her life, but had heard from Laxus and Natsu about her life in Fairy Tail and all of her amazing accomplishments.

Lucy told him about how she was a born celestial mage thanks to her mother, whom she looked exactly alike. She recounted some of her fondest memories with her mother, most of which included a spirit or two, told him how her mother had passed away, and how broken her father had become because of that. How he holed himself up in his office and concentrated on his work 24/7, and that she was incredibly lonely and often called out spirits to visit with, but soon realized she couldn't do that all the time, so she started taking cooking lessons with the chef. She enjoyed his lessons and her time with the elderly cook.

Lucy explained to him what life was like in the noble society of Fiore, her studies on being the perfect woman, and how her father expected her further the Heartfilia line. How she was supposed to accept the fact that the man she was to marry was at least double her age, how she was to have a male first born, and keep her tongue in check at all times. The arranged marriage was what pushed her over the edge and drove her to run away from home.

"Bickslow mentioned that your father had died while you were asleep on the island for seven years. How did you handle that?" He was curious to know now that he knew about their less than loving father/daughter relationship.

"I was sad, but I didn't cry at first," Lucy replied while look up at the stars. "I didn't hold the man in a very good light for a long time and I couldn't make myself feel much of anything. It took a while, but in the end I knew he loved me in some capacity and that I loved him as well. I was able to let go of all the negative feelings I had towards him and then I really did cry."

"What do you know about my magic?"

"Your magic isn't all that different than a dragon slayers," Lucy began to explain. "The main difference is that instead of it coming from a dragon it comes from the heavens. I know your physical strength is great, but I also know you'll rival all your brothers magically speaking. I have also been told that you have a soul mate out there for you, which is fairly similar to a dragon mate. Draco wants to talk to you about your magic and mating more in depth, should you decide to go still."

"What are you going to do about your . . . situation?"

"Honestly I have no friggn clue!" Lucy said with a sigh. "The first thing will be to head back to Magnolia and figure out this dragon queen thing, then try to formulate a plan to find the keys. I won't be looking for them though until you come back and have decided upon what you wish to do. Your opinion and decision in this matters to me, so take all the time you need to figure it out." Zen pulled Lucy into a hug then. She had a way to make everything come into perspective and genuinely cared about everyone.

"Good evening Princess," Leo said while slightly bowing to the two mage. Lucy rolled her eyes at him.

"Have I told you I hate the bowing thing, because I really do!" huffed Lucy with a pout on her lips.

"Alright. No bowing to our Princess," replied Loke. "Master Zen, if you are ready I shall take you to the Celestial world now." Zen looked at Leo in surprise. He didn't think he'd be going so soon. Lucy gave his hand a squeeze in comfort.

"Only if you want to," whispered Lucy to Zen. Seeing the look of confidence shining in her eyes had Zen nodding yes before he realized he was doing so.

"I'll let your father know once I get back," Lucy offered as she watched Leo take Zen with him through his gate. Lucy stood alone on the beach, the breeze ruffling her hair. _Now how do I get back to the house?_

* * *

Lucy had wandered the city streets for what seemed like hours. Her bare feet were killing her and she had no idea if she was any closer to the Pradesh compound. _What I wouldn't give to have a dragon slayers nose right about now._ Lucy stumbled upon a small park in her wanderings and stopped to take a break on the wooden bench.

She heard leaves rustling and looked around to see if someone was there, but there was nothing. _Must have been my imagination._ She heard a muffled sound followed by more rustling, so she got up to do some investigating and followed the increasing noise, needing to sate her curiosity.

Lucy wasn't prepared for what she saw. Freed was pushed up against a tree with his button down shirt wide open and his pants and boxers around his ankles. Farron stood in front of Freed, blocking his intimate parts from her view. Farron's hand moved from Freed's backside to wrap around his erection. Lucy knew that she should look away, but she just couldn't, she watched as Farron's hand began to pump Freed's length. Freed moaned and threw his head back against the tree. Watched as his hips thrust in time with Farron's movements.

"Fuck Farron don't stop," groaned Freed. "Gods . . . I need more." Farron licked the tip of Freed's cock.

"I need you. I need you so bad Freed," whimpered Farron before he stood up and kissed the green haired mage, in which Freed kissed back vigorously before pushing the sound mage to the grassy floor. That seemed to break Lucy's trance and she hightailed it out of there, cheeks aflame. Watching them had been more erotic than she thought, and while she felt guilty a small part of her also felt giddy.

She briefly looked around her and realized that she finally knew where she was and would be back at the house in a few short minutes. Lucy was granted access to the house and was making her way up to her room. After all of today's festivities she was more than tired and couldn't wait to curl up on her comfy bed. Lucy passed Cristoff in the hallway, said I quick goodnight to him and shut herself in her room for the night.

Cristoff stared at Lucy's door for a while, his blood molten hot in his veins. Lucy had come back from her meeting with Zen and all he could smell was the slight scent of her arousal. It was a heavenly smell and had him salivating at the thought of being able to taste her, but then his rational side reared its ugly head. He was too angry to sleep so maybe a late night dip in the sea would cool him off, literally and figuratively.

* * *

Lucy woke up feeling well rested and that everything was right in the world. Her conversation with Zen had went well and he was already in the Celestial world to begin his own sort of training. _Zen! Shit I forgot to tell Arman that he left! Oh Mavis, please don't let anyone freak about my lapse in judgement._ Lucy hastily got ready for the day, threw her hair in a ponytail and raced out the door to the dining room.

She reached the doors out of breath and took a moment to gather herself before entering. It was just Arman and Erik at the table, eating in comfortable silence.

"Good morning," Lucy smiled as she sat down at the table and helped herself to some breakfast.

"Good morning my dear. I hope that you slept well," Arman merrily greeted the celestial mage.

"I had a great sleep, thank you for asking," Lucy warmly replied. "I also wanted to let you know that Zen went to the Celestial world after our conversation last night. I meant to tell you once I returned last night, but I may have gotten lost on my way back." Lucy laughed nervously. The doors opened to welcome Farron and Freed walking in for the morning meal. Lucy eyes went wide and she immediately looked at her lap, as the event from last ngiht came rushing back to her. Cobra caught onto Lucy's thoughts and laughed so hard that he fell off of his chair.

"Did you enjoy the show Tink?" Cobra said while wiping a stray tear away from laughing so hard.

"You're such an ass Erik," groaned Lucy as she put her face in her hands.

"Care to fill us in on what's so funny?" Arman asked with a raised eyebrow and two other curious stares.

"Tink was definitely lost last night, however she may have stumbled into a park and witnessed Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum enjoying each other last night," smirked Cobra while enjoying Lucy's misery. _You couldn't just leave well enough alone Erik! I am so going to sick Virgo on you when you least expect it. Don't ignore me! I know you can hear me you arrogant asshole!_ Erik just laughed more at Lucy's internal outburst at him.

"Come on Tink. Love is love and these two are head over heels for one another. Almost makes me want to hurl," Cobra made gagging noises to emphasize his point and Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Actually," Freed started with a light blush on his cheeks. "Farron asked me to be his Promised this morning and I have agreed." Lucy squealed in delight and Arman had both men in his arms hugging them, congratulating them, and asking when the grandchildren were coming. The rest of the morning was filled with talks about having a Boscan or Fioran ceremony, when the date would be, and so on and so forth. Cobra had excused himself earlier before he actually did hurl from all the 'lovey, dovey, sappy shit' as he so eloquently put it.

The three men left to sign the paperwork and get it filed, so Lucy decided that a trip to the White Sea guild would be beneficial. She had opened her third magic container, but didn't really know if there were any changes to her magic yet. _I hope Laxus is around, or even Bix, to help._ The walk to the guild was short and as she entered the large building she could feel all eyes on her. Lucy knew that blonde hair and pale skin was a delicacy in Bosco, but the intense stares made her uncomfortable.

"Lucy! LUCE!" Said mage looked around and spotted Xally and Natsu towards the end of the of the room.

"Hey guys!" Lucy happily replied. "What are you doing here?"

"Xally is helping with decorating for the party tomorrow night and I am going to head to the training grounds to spar," Natsu eagerly grinned, which caused Xally and Lucy to giggle.

"Do you mind if I join you Natsu?" Lucy asked. "I'm hoping Laxus will be there."

"Sure. Not a problem Luce," Natsu gave Xally a kiss on the cheek before linking arms with Lucy and making their way to the training grounds.

"How have things been between you and Xally?" Lucy asked with a smile on her face.

"Things have been great! She makes me incredibly happy and she's an amazing person all around," Natsu admitted with a slight blush. The were nearing the training ground doors when Lucy stopped him.

"Well I am glad she makes you happy Natsu, but you better treat her right after you've mated or there will be hell to pay and I'm sure it won't come from just me," Lucy teased the pink haired mage. Natsu looked at Lucy in confusion for a minute.

"Luce do you mean . . . do you mean you approve of Xally?" Natsu hesitantly asked with baited breath.

"Yes," replied Lucy confidently. Natsu picked Lucy off the ground and spun her around in circles, Lucy had just made Natsu the happiest mage in the guild. He set the dizzy blonde on the ground before launching himself through the doors and left Lucy to follow the elated mage in after she had gotten her bearings.

"What has flame tard so happy?" came the gruff voice of Laxus from behind her.

"I told him that I accepted Xally as his mate," she said with a sincere smile.

"That poor water mage,"Laxus said with a smirk while shaking his head. Lucy chuckled at that. "So what are you doing here Blondie?"

"Actually I was looking for you or Bix," answered the celestial mage.

"Well you've gotten both Cosplayer," came Bickslow's voice from above them as he came floating down on the babies. Once he stepped onto the floor the babies swirled and tumbled around Lucy's head while chanting her name. "Did you need us to show you a good time?" Bickslow's tongue lolled out of his mouth. Lucy rolled her eyes while Laxus send a bolt in his ass, causing Bickslow to yelp in shock.

"I was hoping either of you would have some time to help me see what has changed with my third origin opening," Lucy said nervously as she wrung her hands together. "I haven't exactly had time lately to see if anything has changed."

"We'll both take you on Blondie," smirked Laxus. "Loser has to dress up in the winner's choice of clothes and parade around at the party tomorrow night for an hour."

"Hells yes!" cheered Bickslow. "There's no way boss man and I can lose!"

"This is rigged!" complained Lucy while she looked back at the two smug mages. "I'm in, just so I can wipe those arrogant looks right off your faces!" They proceeded to opposite sides of one of the sparring arenas, as a crowd had been drawn in. Mages were taking seats and bets on whom was going to win. Natsu and Cobra placed their bets on Lucy, while the majority of the other mages placed theirs on the boys. The Pradesh siblings all found a seat to take in the match and made their own bets amongst themselves.

The family knew how Bickslow operated since they had done several missions with him, and they grew up with him and his powers. Most of them knew what Laxus was capable of, since they had all worked with him in some form or another. Lucy was a wild card and the only one to see what the celestial mage was like in action was Cristoff, and even that was the bare minimum.

"Ten thousand says Lucy wins," Cristoff started off the betting. "I also like the wager that Laxus placed, so I think the we should follow suit. Losers wear whatever the winners decide at the party tomorrow night for an hour." Xally was the only other mage to bet on Lucy winning and the rest figured that the boys would have an easy time with the petite blonde.

Virgo brought Lucy a change of clothes and she quickly slipped them on in the women's change room. A pair of white runners, black spandex shorts, black sports bra, and a loose pale pink racerback tank top. She was doing some stretches as the guys peeled off their shirts and were left in their shorts. The three mages received lots of catcalls and whistles of appreciation from the crowd.

"What are the terms of defeat?" Lucy asked as she squared her shoulders.

"We could do first blood drawn or knock out the opponents," shrugged Laxus, whom was good with either. Bickslow cracked his neck and announced that he was good with a KO. Lucy agreed to their terms. Bickslow had his babies circling above his head while Laxus started to power up with lightning floating across his body.

Lucy called out Aries and Leo, as well as requipped her whip. The spirits stepped in front of Lucy to block her from their view. A bell sounded somewhere in the vicinity to signal the beginning of the match. The boys quickly took to the offensive and were hurtling attacks at Lucy and her two spirits, which had them dodging attacks right away. Lucy wasn't liking how this was starting off and needed something to cover themselves, so she used her Scorpio stardress and threw sand around the arena to block Laxus and Bickslow.

Leo used regulus impact on Laxus and it threw him into the wall directly behind him leaving a slayer imprint in its wake. Leo, Aries, and Lucy looked at each other in astonishment. Apparently her spirits received a power boost with her third origin being opened, but in their moment of surprise three of Bickslow's babies attacked Aries sending her back to the spirit world.

"That was a lucky shot lion cub," grinned Laxus as he launched a lightning dragon roar at the duo. Leo grabbed Lucy and managed to dodge the majority of the attack, but a stray bolt glanced off Lucy's left shoulder leaving a fair sized cut. Lucy summoned Sagittarius and Capricorn to the field. The horse spirit targeted Bickslow and his babies while Capricorn went head to head with Laxus. Lucy needed a way to holt their attacks long enough to formulate a plan.

Sagittarius and Capricorn were being pushed back by the lightning and seith mages. _The minute they launch their attacks I need all three of you to close your gates. I have a plan!_ Lucy could feel the magic of a new spell under her finger tips. It was a soft humming feeling that made her body tingle.

"Babies line formation!" called out Bickslow. All five dolls gathered in midair, creating a vertical line by standing on top of one another. A large crescent beam shape was starting to form, while Laxus was preparing his attack.

"Resounding through the air, the roar of thunder, plunge from the heavens and reap destruction," yelled Laxus as he made a fist in the air calling out his attack. Bickslow and Laxus simultaneously launched their attacks at the opponents. The three spirits closed their gates and left Lucy standing there alone.

"Celestial Flare!" Lucy cried out. A wave of golden and crimson celestial power burst from her magic circle, twisting around one another until it collided with the oncoming attacks. Lucy's attacked managed to break through Bickslow's babies line formation and hit him square in the chest, effectively ending the seith mages involvement the battle.

Laxus was still standing, albeit he was down on one knee from that last attack. Lucy summoned Scorpio to the battlefield, and he used his sand spear attack on Laxus. Several shots of sand came from his stinger, launching powerful streams of sand at the dragon slayer, whom managed to dodge all but one. The attack landed on his upper chest causing a sand burn, which looked like a really bad case of rug burn, that had droplets of blood trailing down his chest.

The crowd was going wild at this point in the battle. Natsu and Cobra were sitting on pins and needles and they watched their kin face off against each other. With a glance at Lucy's new powers it was anyone's guess as to which way the battle would swing. The Pradesh siblings weren't in any better condition and they definitely didn't think the battle would be this intense, or that they would inflict this type of damage on one another. Fairy Tail never does anything half ass.

"Lightning Dragon's Iron Fist," Laxus' fist was engulfed in lightning and he sent the punch directly at Lucy, whom didn't have enough time to move away and took the full brunt of his attack. Laxus was preparing for another iron fist attack, while Lucy was barely managing to stand from his last attack. Still in her Scorpio stardress she launched a sand blaster attack after he send his second iron fist attack.

As the dust from the attacks filled the field, and everyone eagerly awaited for it to clear, Laxus continued to walk towards his kin. Once it did clear though a figure could be seen where Lucy was. Emzadi emerged from the dust and was starring Laxus down. The crowd was quiet, and everyone one was confused as the why the solar dragon slayer was even on the field. Laxus stopped dead in his tracks.

Lucy emerged from behind Laxus in her Virgo stardress while yelling, "Starlight Blast!" Hundreds of tiny golden stars launched themselves at the dragon slayers back. The blast caused major damage to the slayer and also launched him towards Emzadi, whom was ready however with a solar dragon's roar, which hit Laxus head on. The combination of attacks knocked the slayer out. The bell chimed and Lucy was announced the winner, while the spectators went wild, and Lucy collapsed to her knees.

"Tink! Luce!" came the concerned voices of her kin.

"How did you pull that off," asked an intrigued Kaleb while Cristoff cradled Lucy to him as he started to heal her physical wounds.

"After I launched my sand attack I had Virgo dig a tunnel beneath us, and summoned Gemini to copy Laxus' future mate," Lucy whimpered as she felt Cristoff's magic put a rib back in place. "I then used Virgo's stardress, made sure she filled in the hole we were in, and tunneled behind Laxus and waited for the opportune moment to strike."

"Damn Lucy," whistled Vander. "Remind me to never get on your bad side!"

"Tink those attacks were insane! I didn't know you had it in you," Cobra smiled proudly at the celestial mage.

"She needs to rest to recuperate her magic," Cristoff instructed before snickering. "I am going to heal our dear brother and our KO'd slayer."

"I'll take Tink back to the house," offered Cobra as he scooped her up and proceeded to head out.

"Pay up bitches!" rang Natsu's voice across the arena. A chorus of moans and groans could be heard as the slayer collected his winnings.

"That's right losers! Time to pay Cris and I," exclaimed the excited water mage. The siblings all sighed as they started coughing up the cash.

"Don't forget to meet us tomorrow night at 10pm for all the lovely clothes you will be adorning as well," snickered Cristoff, while he was healing Laxus a round of grumbles came from the losing mages, while Xally and Cristoff laughed openly at their siblings.


	8. Chapter 7

Finally back from my work trip and ready to get this chapter up. There will be some smutty goodness in this chapter, so I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Laxus woke up feeling too hot and went to turn on his side only to feel something heavy weighing down on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and saw a blurry mass of yellow, groaning Laxus took his free hand and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. The yellow blob he had previously seen was actually tousled blonde locks, but what shocked him more were the pale orange eyes that were staring into his own stormy ones.

"What are you doing, naked, in my bed Emzadi?," Laxus huskily asked the solar slayer. Emzadi bit her lower lip, and Laxus could feel his cock start to stir.

"Kaleb and Vander brought you back to after your match with Lucy yesterday afternoon," Emzadi explained while tracing circles on the lightning mages chest. "Cristoff healed the injuries you had sustained, but I was worried about you. I knew you slept naked, so I stripped you down and then myself and cuddled up to you for the rest of the evening because I wanted to make sure you were alright." Laxus pulled her closer to his body and kissed the top of her head and revelled in the smell of sunshine and marigolds, of his mate.

Emzadi moved herself so that her breasts were pressing against Laxus' side, which had her nipples erect from the skin on skin contact. His eyes darkened as he smelt his mates arousal, and watched are her orange eyes turned brighter with lust. Laxus pulled Emzadi on top of his chest and aggressively kissed her lips. The solar slayer moaned and Laxus dipped his tongue into her mouth and coaxed her tongue to play with his. Not one to back down from a challenge Emzadi pressed herself closer to her slayer and tried to gain the upper hand. Laxus flipped her onto her back and ground his erection into her thigh causing Emzadi to break the kiss and moan as she looked at Laxus through half lidded eyes.

"We have to stop Em," Laxus whispered into her ear, as he trailed little kisses down the side of her neck.

"Why," she asked breathlessly. "Why do we need to stop? We want to claim one another, so why don't we do it now?" She thrust her hips against his hardened member and Laxus stifled a moan.

"I have . . . to ask . . . dammit woman . . . Lucy for approval . . . " he moaned into his mates neck.

"You haven't done it yet?" Emzadi surprisedly asked. She had figured he had done so already since they were so close. Laxus huffed and rolled to lay beside Emzadi.

"She hasn't been alone to ask yet, " mumbled the hulking slayer, knowing full well that Emzadi could hear him. Emzadi grabbed a pillow and smacked Laxus in the face with it.

"I can't believe you haven't MADE the time to talk to her yet!" Emzadi was furious at the lightning slayer, so she picked up her dress, hastily threw it on, and stormed to the door. She turned back and glared at Laxus before slamming the door on her way out.

"Shit!"

* * *

Lucy was wondering the Pradesh family home trying to find Cristoff because she needed to talk to him about what had happened between them two nights ago. She was feeling guilty about just shoving the lunar slayer off to the side like that and so far she had no such luck in finding said dragon slayer. She huffed in frustration and rounded a corner to smack her nose right into Cobra's chest. Lucy rubbed her nose trying to lessen the sting.

"Jeez Tink watch where you're going," snickered Cobra.

"Have you seen Cristoff by chance?" she asked Erik quietly. The bad terms between the two just wasn't sitting right with her and Cobra was listening in on her inner musings to figure out why she was looking for the lunar slayer.

"Erik?" Lucy asked while tilting her head waiting for him to answer her.

"Sorry Tink, but I haven't seen him," as Cobra shook his head. Lucy sighed and continued on her way.

Lucy wandered the estate for a while stuck in her own head. She had ran into Vander and Bickslow earlier, neither of which had seen the man she was attempting to find. She was seriously worried that she had done something to offend him, so Lucy found a shady spot under a large tree that was covered in beautiful leaves in multiple shades of green and decided to lay down; closing her eyes she let her mind wander.

It drifted to Levy and her family. How she missed the tiny script mage and her active family. The boys must be close to six months old by now, and were sure to be crawling by now due to them being slayers. Cana would have loved Bosco and she would have fit right at home here, and would probably give Vander a run for his money. Maybe she needed to lure the shadowquip mage to Magnolia and let slip the idea of the two of them being a couple to Mira.

Mira, Wendy, Erza, Grey . . . Mavis did she miss her family in Fairy Tail. If things played out the way she suspected they would tonight then it would probably be herself, Cobra, and maybe Bickslow returning home tomorrow. _Home . . ._ What was home anymore? Was it Magnolia, Bosco, or some random place with her dragon kin? Was there a place where everyone could be happy together in one place? Lucy sighed.

"What's with the sad look Blondie?" Laxus asked frowning.

"It's nothing," Lucy said shaking her head to clear her thoughts and sitting up. "What can I do for you Sparky?" Laxus sat on the grass beside her and wrapped and arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. She rested her head on his shoulder and revelled in the cuddly lightning slayer, since she could count on one hand how many times it had happened. They sat in comfortable silence, just watching people walk by and the shadows of birds move against the earth.

"Lucy," Laxus gently called her name and she snapped her head up to look at the slayers face. He never ever said her name unless he was deadly serious. "Have you been able to talk to Emzadi yet?" The lightning mage looked calm on the outside but one look into her eyes and she could tell he was incredibly nervous about this conversation.

"I have," she whispered quietly. "How do you feel about her Laxus?" She knew this would be hard for Laxus since he wasn't a touchy feely person, but she needed to know he was going to be happy with his choice in mate. Laxus stared ahead looking at nothing in particular as he mulled Lucy's question over.

"She's like a ray of sunshine, warm and comforting making you want to be wrapped in her embrace," Laxus began to explain. "Soothing, calm, constant. However she can be harsh and unforgiving and if you're not careful you'll end up burned. She's sexy as hell and I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life making her happy." Lucy eyes were filled with unshed tears at his words.

"She's perfect for you Laxus and I'm not one to deny my family their happiness," Lucy gave him a watery smile and kissed his cheek before curling back against his large form.

"You know you didn't have to throw the match yesterday," Lucy decided to change the topic. "I know you had a shit tonne of magic left in your reserves and could have taken me out with any of your attacks. I wasn't looking for a pitty win you know." Laxus frowned at that.

"While it's true I had lots of magic left, and I probably could have wasted you in one attack, but the point of yesterday was to test your magic, remember?" Laxus said while flicking Lucy's forehead causing her to wrinkle her nose. "Those two new attacks you have in your arsenal are really powerful too, not to mention the boost in the lion cub's attack packed quite a punch, literally. In the end you outsmarted me Blondie and let me tell you, having hundreds of stars pelt the back of my body didn't fucking tickle either." Lucy giggles made the corner of Laxus' lips turn up.

"Well since you're still admitting I won you must be excited to see what I have picked out for you and Bix to wear tonight," snickered the celestial mage, which caused the lightning dragon slayer to huff in annoyance. The events that were to come that evening were cast aside as the two blonde mages spent the rest of the afternoon soaking up the warm rays of the sunshine.

* * *

The White Sea guild had white, black, and grey streamers hanging from the ceiling, enough food to feed the city, and enough alcohol that would have had Cana crying in happiness. The party was just getting good, meaning that almost everyone present had consumed copious amounts of alcohol and off key singing could be heard throughout the hall. Thane took to the stage and tapped on the mike to ensure he would be heard by all.

"Good evening guild members," Thane's deep voice echoed across the hall and everyone present stopped what they were doing and gave their full attention to their second in command. "Yesterday many of you witnessed an intense spar on our training field, however what most of you weren't privy too was a bet that also taken place. The losers of the spar would have to wear whatever items of clothing the winner deemed for an hour starting at 10pm. The Pradesh siblings also made a bet amongst themselves and the losers would have to be a part of the punishment as well, which includes our very own guild master." Whispers started to circulate across the mass of mages, most wondering what their fearless leader would be adorning. "So without further adieu . . ."

The first to walk onto the stage was none other than the White Sea guild master, whom was wearing a pink fluffy boa, white tube tube, and a black leather micro skirt. Whistles and laughter rang throughout the entire guild, and light were flashing from lacricameras being used to capture this unforgettable moment as Kaleb made his way around the stage.

Vander and Bickslow took the stage together. Vander was dressed in a sexy white one piece women's bathing suit. It was a low cut halter style that had a horizontal diamond cutout showing off the V of his lower torso and was backless showing off his taut muscles. Bickslow was wearing a skin tight blue and black tiger onesie that left very little to the imagination as to what was underneath said suit. Vander and Bickslow strutted their stuff like they were runway models, earning multiple catcalls and even a few flowers to be tossed on stage. Vander bent over, with his ass facing the crowd, to pick up one of the flowers that were offered before heading off with his older brother.

The next pair was Farron and Emzadi, and Freed was thanking Mavis for not being around when the bets were placed because he wouldn't have betted against his fearless leader. Hot pink cheetah print short shorts and matching bikini top was the chosen outfit for the eldest Pradesh child. Emzadi was dressed in a blue with pink flower night dress that had white lace trim and shoulder pads. Both siblings were a little embarrassed in their clothing, but their pride wouldn't let them not face the fact that they had lost the bet. They slowly moved around the stage, since Farron's shorts were so tight that if he took a regular step he'd probably split the shorts wide open.

The final model of the night was none other than the large lightner dragon slayer. Lucy had dressed him a black tank top that read "I Love Cats" with pink hearts floating around the words, which nicely matched the pink frilly tutu that was cinched around his waist. There wasn't a dry eye in the guild by the time Laxus had made his way across the stage. When he had seen Bickslow's outfit he thought that he would be alright, but the moment she whipped out pink material he groaned and cursed Mavis for his bad luck. The fashion show had taken up about fifteen minutes, so the poor mages still had to parade around for another forty five minutes in their lovely clothes.

Lucy had spotted Cristoff after the show and had tried to make her way over to him several times, but she kept losing him in the crowd which was frustrating the petite blonde woman. After what must have been the tenth time of not catching him she threw her arms up and stormed out of the guild, muttering about idiotic lunar dragons avoiding her. Cobra steered clear of angry Lucy, but was very much interested in why Cristoff was avoiding said mage so he decided it was time to intercede. He wasn't one to get involved in other people's affairs, but an angry Tink was never a good thing. Cobra found the missing mage having a drink with his siblings and future in-laws at a table in the far corner, away from most of the guild members.

"Hey moon prick want to tell me why you keep avoiding Tink?" scowled the poison slayer.

"I'm not avoiding her," was Cristoff's neutral reply.

"That's a crock of bull shit and we all know it!" Cobra wasn't going to put up with Cristoff's lies and he didn't care how he did it he was going to make sure he understood what happened when he messed with his kin.

"I don't know what you're referring too Cobra," shrugged the nonchalant slayer. His thoughts were going a million miles a minute with everything had transpired between the two mages over the last several days.

"Well shit Cris. Why didn't you tell her she was your mate?" asked the mind bender mage, causing Cristoff to swear under his breath.

"Because she doesn't want me. She's made than much pretty clear," he huffed glaring at his older brother before he turned to address Cobra, however his wasn't expecting a fist to connect with his face, breaking his nose.

"You stupid son of a bitch!" Cobra roared, which had the entire guild going quiet. Cobra had read his soul and connected the dots to what he had heard from Lucy. "Firstly the dragon is never wrong, just ask your future brothers or any other slayer in Fairy Tail."

"Cobra just take a chill pill," Natsu said with his hands behind his head. "Not like this is anything to fight over."

"Just because you and lightning bolt are trying to get into his sisters pants doesn't mean you shouldn't be as pissed at him as I am!" seethed Cobra. "Did you know that he got made at Lucy because she talked to Zen instead of him, because she gave her word that she would do so when Zen set up the meeting! Tell me pretty boy, do you know how Lucy's magic actually works?"

"She's a celestial mage and uses her spirits to help her in anyway they are able too. Her magic is made up of the light from the stars and the moon, essentially the heavens itself." Cristoff was puzzled as to where Cobra was going with this.

"Did you know that she has a separate contract for each of her spirits and she has to adhere to those contracts otherwise she risks losing them?" growled Cobra. _I'm going to make this crystal fucking clear to you, you dumb bastard!_ "If Tink breaks her word to them then that's it for her and the Spirit King can revoke her keys. DO. YOU. UNDERSTAND."

"Her word or promise is everything," Cristoff eyes widened in understanding.

"Just so you know Tink wasn't aroused that night because of Zen. If you had taken two seconds to use that tiny fuckin brain of yours you would have realized that Zen's scent of arousal wasn't anywhere near Lucy," Cobra chastised the older slayer whom was looking at him in confusion. "Seems Tink stumbled upon Farron and Freed getting hot and heavy in the park after Zen went to the Celestial world and it tickled her fancy to some degree." Cristoff ran a hand down his face and couldn't believe how much he had fucked this all up because he wasn't willing to talk to Lucy about everything.

"You better get going moony," snickered Laxus. "You have a lot of ass kissing to do, if what bleach breath said is true." Cristoff took off outside and hoped that Lucy's scent was still in the air. _Fuck, what did I do?_

* * *

Natsu sighed to himself as he watched Cristoff run out the door after his best friend. Cristoff was the one who had spent the most time around a dragon and still was second guessing himself. _And people call me stupid._ Lucy deserved someone that could love her for everything that was and help her become an even more kick ass mage than she was, and Natsu thought Cristoff would be perfect for Lucy. He was kind, caring, patient, and would help offset the crazy mess that Lucy seemed to find herself in yet again.

Natsu looked at the water mage that was currently sitting on his leg and contemplated how she made his life feel complete, granted it wouldn't actually happen for another four weeks. He nuzzled the shoulder closest to his face and used his free hand to draw slow circles on the inside of her creamy thigh, thankful that she was wearing a dress. And what a dress it was! It was a deep mahogany halter style that had a diamond cut out in the front, giving him a very nice view of her cleavage. It was skin tight, showing off her curvy form and stopped about mid thigh, however when she sat down the dress had risen higher up on her thigh.

Xally could feel Natsu's warm breath against her arm and the small circles he was currently drawing on the inside of her thigh had her heart racing. She had purposely picked this dress to show off her assets, with the intent of driving her dragon crazy enough to take the first step to mate her. Lucy's approval made her giddy with happiness and she couldn't hide the perma-smile that was currently adorning her face. She teasingly nipped the top of Natsu's ear and heard a light growl rumble from his chest, and the vibrations went straight to her nether region.

His mate wanted to play and tease a little in public, then so be it. Natsu dragged a fang down the top of her arm, while slowly slipping his hands closer to his mates core. He felt her shudder against him and the wave of arousal that flooded his senses almost had him pinning her to the table they were currently at. Natsu grabbed her chin and pulled his face to look at his and her beautiful eyes were hazy with lust.

"You ready to get outta here?" Natsu breathily whispered into her ear causing Xally to whimper and nod her head yes. He scooped his mate to be in his arms and started to make his way out of the guild hall.

"Take it easy on him Xally," snickered Vander. "Don't go breaking the poor lil slayer too badly."

"She'll find nothing small about me," Natsu yelled back to Vander over his shoulder before giving Xally a heated look. "But you already know that." Natsu had previously spoken to Arman about a place where the two of them could find the privacy he needed to complete the bond. Arman had offered him a private condo he used seldomly, but kept for when he needed an escape from everything. He had it fully stocked with food and they agreed that a female attendant would enter the premises every Thursday to compile a list of necessities, purchase them, and return to put everything away.

Xally ran her lips along Natsu's throat, earning another round of low growls from the fire mage. She was enjoying teasing her mate and couldn't wait to have him all to herself for an entire month. Xally knew the first week would be long since they needed to follow the four stages of mating, but even knowing they could only touch each other over their clothes sent a thrill up her spine. _There will be kissing. Lots and lots of kissing!_

They made it to the door of the condo and Natsu poured some of his power into the lacrima lock making the door swing open on its own. He kicked the door closed behind him, pinned his mate to the wall, and buried his face into her neck, rubbing his nose up and down it. Xally wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him as close to her as she could possibly get.

"If I didn't have to follow the stages I'd take you against this wall right now," Natsu said with blazing eyes fixated on Xally's luscious lips. Natsu watched as her tongue darted out to wet her lips and the action caused his to hungrily descend on her lips. His mouth on her was hard and demanding, causing his mate to gasp, and he took his chance to taste her.

Natsu's kiss was hot, forceful and he tasted like cinnamon candy. She couldn't seem to get enough of his fiery kisses, and she ground herself on his hard, clothing covered shaft. Moaning, the water mage needed more, needed to feel his hands on her body. Before she could voice her thoughts Natsu was nibbling the exposed flesh of her tits, making his way from her bountiful cleavage to the erect nipple pressing against the restraining material of her dress. Xally threw her head back in a gasp.

"Oh Natsu. Please don't stop." Xally started thrusting more wildly against Natsu making the slayer groan against her nipple. The water mage felt her back press into the mattress and realized Natsu had moved them onto the king sized bed. Warm hands cupped her breasts and rolled her nipples into tight points, with just enough pressure to make her writhe in pleasure. He pressed himself against the wet fabric of her thong and started a fast paced rhythm that had her gripping the sheets and tossing her head from side to side.

"I wanna hear you, my mate." Natsu murmured before claiming her lips with his own, then peppered her in butterfly kisses. "So beautiful. So incredibly sexy. All mine." Natsu started to grind his length against her wetness again.

"Oh god Natsu! I'm so . . . ohhhh . . . close." Xally's breathing became ragged and the tight coil that had formed was begging to be released. Natsu pressed his thumb against her silk covered clit, rubbing it in hard circles.

"NATSU!" Xally came apart underneath him which caused Natsu to release a loud growl as his movements became jerky, coming inside his pants as he collapsed on top of the women he loved.

"Maybe this week won't be so bad after all." Natsu cheekily looked at Xally's red face, before placing a chaste kiss on her lips. _Won't be bad at all._

* * *

Lucy had wandered down to the beach after watching Cristoff avoid her most of the night. At first she was positively livid that he didn't have the balls to talk to her at all, especially when she just wanted to explain why speaking with Zen was so important. Lucy had taken off her shoes and waded into the water to sit upon a large rock that was overlooking the sea with tears slowly falling down her cheeks. The stars bright twinkle reflected on the waters calm surface making it look like she completely surrounded by the stars, while the gentle moon rays soothed her troubled heart.

She couldn't understand her feelings for Cristoff, or why the thought of him avoiding her or not wanting her caused her so much heartache. In all honesty she had barely been able to converse with the lunar dragon slayer, but from the moment he had confidently strolled into her life she hadn't been able to get him off her mind. Maybe he didn't like her in the way she was hoping he might be able to, or maybe he really had found his mate and was trying to spare her feelings. Sobbing, Lucy pulled her knees to her chest and hid her face in her arms, hoping to shut out all her feelings. Virgo opened her own gate and wrapped a blanket around her Princess, before returning as if she had never been there to begin with.

That was the scene Cristoff was greeted with as he followed her scent through the streets down to the sandy shore. Her tears were like a slap to the face, after realizing it was more than likely him whom had caused them and amplified his guilt.

"Lucy?" his smooth voice called to her. Lucy's head jerked up in Cristoff's direction at hearing her name being said, then hastily tried to clear the tears that were falling.

"Cris . . . Cristoff. What are you doing here?" She inwardly cursed how shaky her voice had become.

"I came to find you. I've been told by your poison dragon friend that I was essentially being an ass hole and needed to talk to you." he confessed with a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"I would have used the word jerk, but ass hole seems much more fitting," she responded looking the slayer directly in the eyes.

"I am hoping that you will hear me out and then maybe think about forgiving me?" He watched as Lucy turned his body towards him, tightening the blanket around her obscuring her body from his view. The moon went behind the clouds causing the beach to become darker, but thankfully his dragon eyes could see her form perfectly.

"I am sorry for avoiding you. I have been very confused lately, not that I am trying to make excuses. You see I found my mate." He heard her suck in a breath and could see how rigid her body had become. "She is breathtakingly stunning and has a huge heart that makes everyone around her want to be in her presence. I met her almost two months ago and my dragon wouldn't shut up about her, but then I got jealous and pushed her away. I was hoping to talk to her one night, try and sort this out, but she came back smelling aroused after being out with my brother and I was furious. Still I couldn't help but want to be around her, so I kept my distance. Tonight I got my ass tuned in and some things were explained to me that made me realize that I'm an idiot."

"Why . . . Why tell me all of this if you've found her? Why are you here?" Lucy couldn't help but feel the world closing in around her and just wanted to drop off the face of the earth. It hurt so bad knowing he had found his mate, especially when she was secretly hoping it that maybe . . .

"Lucy? Lucy I need you to look at me . . . please?" he begged the blonde mage before him, and she eventually looked him directly in the eyes. His heart almost broke at seeing her eyes full of pain.

"Lucy you are my mate." Lucy sat on the rock blankly staring at the lunar dragon slayer, blinking occasionally. _Did he? Did he really just say? WHAT?!_ Her mind couldn't seem to process what he was telling her and she was pretty sure that Cristoff was smirking at her.

"You . . . You . . . You have got to be kidding me! You avoided me for days because I was your mate? What the hell Cristoff?" Lucy pierced the slayer with a glare.

"I was confused because I thought you liked Zen, especially after you wanted to talk with him more than you wanted to talk with me. Cobra explained the importance of keeping your word earlier, after he punched me in the face." explained Cristoff.

"GOOD! You deserved that," Lucy crossed her arms over her chest and huffed.

"Yea I really did." Cristoff replied not even fighting her on the topic. "He also explained why you smelled aroused was due to your incident with my oldest brother and Freed." Cristoff chuckled at hearing her squeak in embarrassment. Lucy couldn't believe that he had told her about that. _Stupid soul reading dragon!_

"Will you forgive me my beautiful star? Will you become my mate?" Cristoff asked with bated breath. He didn't think that he could want anything more, or how nervous he was waiting for her answer. He could see the gears turning and she thought over his questions.

"Why don't you come ask me those questions directly to my face?" Lucy challenged the slayer. After being in a guild with Natsu, Laxus, and Gajeel she knew that the dragon was always raring for a challenge it deemed worthy. She just hoped that she was worthy of this dragon's attention. Cristoff gathered his magic and teleported himself to stand behind Lucy on the rock Lucy was currently standing on.

"Lucy," he huskily spoke into her ear, causing the celestial mage to shudder. "Will you be my mate?" Lucy spun around to look into his beautiful glowing eyes and responded by softly pressing her lips to his in a chaste kiss, before pulling back with a smile on her face.

"Before anything else happens I need to know how much you know about dragon mating." Cristoff was serious, but Lucy could tell that this was something that was important to him.

"I don't really know much besides what the girls said about their being four stages and that stages two, three, and four you have to bite your mate. I had asked them about it but they all blushed and said that I didn't need to worry about it, so I didn't. Besides it's not like any of the guys were going to dish out any information and when I asked Laxus he told me he'd tell me when I was older, so obviously some of it requires sexual acts of some capacity." Lucy shrugged her shoulders, after all it wasn't like she was a virgin and she did read a lot of books.

"You are right, with the exception that the bites have to be placed while the mate is orgasming. First phase is scent marking and we do this by holding our mates so that our scents transfer onto each others bodies. It's also an introductory stage to getting to know each other's bodies by being able to feel each while clothes stay on." Lucy gulped at what he was implying. _Essentially an entire week of foreplay? Oh my!_

"Second stage is called the bathing stage, in which we will be able to touch every part of each other. This will help further assimilate our scents directly onto one another. Unfortunately my dick and your pussy are no go zones for each other." Lucy didn't think she was going to survive the second week if she had to see Cristoff naked and not be able to touch him. _Well that's just plain cruel! Get him all wet and naked and I can't do anything about it._ Lucy leaned into the lunar slayer and rested her head on his chest, just to get close to him, and Cristoff responded by wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Third stage is called the tasting stage, and yes it's exactly as it sounds. I can't wait taste you and watch you come undone on my face, my star." Lucy unconsciuosly rubbed her thighs together to try to help relieve herself somewhat. "Mmm, you smell so good Lucy. Strawberries and vanilla, with a hint of cinnamon, it's tantalizing." Lucy could feel Cristoff's erection pressing into her belly and she couldn't help the moan that escaped her lips.

"The last stage is the bonding stage. That my dear Lucy is when I am going to fuck you and take you as mine." A growl erupted through Cristoff's body and the vibrations had Lucy excited about what would come with the mating. She pushed away from her mate and let the blanket fall to the rock and smiled when she heard his intake of air at her outfit. Lucy was wearing the blue two piece ensemble that Emzadi and Xally had forced her to try on.

"You are not allowed to get rid of this outfit. EVER." The blue looked amazing against Lucy's skin tone, and showed off her voluptuous body. The hard on that Cristoff was sporting became more intense in its need to be touched, to have a release. He could tell from his mate's scent that she was affected by him describing the mating stages, and decided to tuck the fact she liked dirty talk away for a later date.

The warm masculine scent that seemed to be all Cristoff filled her head, making her dizzy with desire. She knew his sense of smell was advanced and normally she would be uncomfortable with the fact that he could smell her arousal, but she could have cared less right now. Cristoff's lips were on hers and he was kissing her like it was the last thing he was ever going to do, and damn if it didn't make her more hot and bothered. Her heartbeat was thumping against her ribs and she wished she could get away for a breather without having to leave his lips.

Lucy could feel the hard planes of his chest pressing into her form as he tried to pull her in closer. His body dwarfed her, making her feel tiny against him although she'd never felt particularly small with the average guys she had dated. However, Cristoff's large form made her feel protected, warm, and more importantly like she was home.

"So beautiful," he whispered against her lips, while stroking her lower back. His hands started to wander up her back, around her shoulders, down her arms, and then to the curve of her hips, exciting her with the simple touches. He started to place butterfly kisses all over her face then more directly on her mouth, demanding she open so he could taste her. Lucy moaned in response and he delved in. _You need to get in control! You need to tell her about the mission and discuss what happens next_.

"Lucy, my perfect star, we need to stop." He said while resting his forehead against her own. "I need to tell you about the mission I am going on once you return to Fairy Tail tomorrow, and hopefully you'll want to discuss our next steps." Lucy just hummed in response since she was still trying to curb her hormones from the little contact they had just shared.

"What mission are you going on, with who, and how long are you gone for?" Lucy instinctually asked, which had become a habit of hers she had picked up from Mira over the years.

"Presca returned from a mission and heard a rumor about there being a powerful key being locked in an iceberg in the Boscan mountains, so Vander and I are going to accompany him to check it out. We don't know how long we'll be gone for, but Presca figures it'll be at least five weeks." He nuzzled her cheek affectionately.

"I want you Cristoff. More than I have ever wanted anything in my entire life." Whispered Lucy into his chest, and she felt his arms tighten around her. "But I don't know where we go from here. I have to go back to Fairy Tail for an undetermined amount of time and Kaleb needs you at the guild, which will make taking a month off to mate rather difficult. Besides I am sure that Laxus and Natsu will be indisposed for the next month if your sisters have their way." A warm chuckled reverberated through Cristoff and Lucy could help but laugh along with him.

"How about I come visit you in Magnolia after I'm done the mission? I can meet your family in Fairy Tail and spend some time with them, just as you have with my family." The large smile that Lucy had on her face was all he needed to know about her thoughts on the topic.

"Can I spend the night with you? I just want to be with you before we leave tomorrow." Lucy quietly asked lunar mage.

"Anything you want Lucy." Cristoff meant it too. He would do absolutely anything in his power to make sure she was happy and if she wanted to spend a night in his arms while they slept then who was he to deny his gorgeous mate.

* * *

Laxus was watching Emzadi dance from across the room and the way her body moved seemed to call out to him. She was incredibly graceful on her feet, while the sultry looks she was giving him were going straight to his groin as he adjusted his pants for the umpteenth time. He had gotten permission from Kaleb to use his house for the next month, and the mindbender mage was going to stay at the apartment for the master at the guild. Now he just needed to get her off the damn dance floor.

 _Fuck it!_ Laxus went onto the dancefloor to gather his passionate mate, but he didn't expect her to grind her ass into his half masted member. He groaned as she continued to press against him, so he did the only logical thing he could think of and that was to grab her and teleport her to Kaleb's house. Especially considering he really didn't want to have the guild see her all wanton as he drove her body crazy. Once in the house he took her lips in a rough yet tender kiss.

The kiss took Emzadi's breath away, but as she opened her mouth to protest his actions he invaded her with his tongue fully intent on exploring her. She moaned in mingled desire and frustration at the lightning dragon slayer, but couldn't help kissing him back. She could feel her pussy getting wet and her nipples were hard against his chest as Laxus twined his fingers in her hair to hold her close. They broke to breathe and Laxus started to trail kisses down her neck, causing her body to flush.

"Lucy said yes," Laxus whispered against her skin and could almost feel the relief wash through her body. "You are all mine now." The look in her eyes told him that she was burning with as much need as he was, and knew they wouldn't last very long this time round. He pulled her forward for another searing kiss as her hand rubbed against his aching member, and he thrusted into her hand in time with her motions.

Not wanting his mate to feel left out he cupped her sex with his free hand and watched as she threw her head back and moaned loudly. He rubbed her through the material and could feel how drenched she was becoming.

"Laxus I won't last long . . . ohhhh." Laxus found her cloth covered pearl and pinched it between his thumb and forefinger. She started to buck into his hand as her movements around his dick started to pick up as well, causing a delicious friction.

"So fuckin close Em," Laxus whimpered into his mate's throat. "Faster. Harder." One particularly rough passing over her clit and Emzadi came undone under Laxus' ministrations, moaning his name throughout the house. Listening to his mate moan his name, as he groaned his own release from her hand job.

"Good thing we have all week to get foreplay down or else you'll never last against me Thunder God," smirked Emzadi. Laxus growled and covered her lips with his own.

"You'll see just how much of a God I am by the end."


	9. Chapter 8

Another chapter all wrapped up! Chapter 9 will some Freed x Farron, so stay tuned for that. Thanks for your continued support on my first fic and ideas are always welcome!

* * *

Lucy woke to the sounds of birds chirping loudly outside the window and blinked several times to adjust to the rays of the morning sun shining down. She turned and gazed at Cristoff's peaceful face, thinking about everything that had been discussed last night. _I can't believe I am this gorgeous man's mate!_ He had taken his shirt and pants off to sleep while Lucy wore a baggy pink t-shirt and black lace bikini bottoms. A smirk made its way to her lips. _He did say as long as we were clothed we could fool around, so . . ._ Lucy licked his nipple and then blew gently making it tighten at the change in temperature, while her other hand ran down his groin without touching his wakening member. _Wonder how long it'll take for him to wake up?_ She continued with gentle caresses, licks, and nips along his muscular chest and drug her nails along the length of his member.

Cristoff was having an absolutely amazing dream about Lucy wearing his mark proudly and her belly swollen with their baby boy, and he couldn't have been happier. He could feel something tugging on his senses, urging him to wake from his slice of heaven. Cristoff groaned when he realized his little mate was waking him up in a very interesting way, and continued to let her explore his body. Lucy had wrapped her hand around his cock and was experimenting with different grip tightness and motions that had his mind fogging over.

"Ohh Lucy, baby please don't stop," begged the lunar slayer. He could smell the spiciness of her arousal and it had him thrusting his hips in beat of his mate's actions. "Harder and faster Lucy. Plea . . . Oh yes just like that!" He was on the cusp of finishing, but was trying to hold off a little longer. However Lucy seemed to have other plans as she bit the muscle of his pectoral, hard, and groaned her name as he came.

Watching Cristoff come undone from her ministrations was incredibly arousing and she was trying to find a way to lessen the throbbing between her thighs. She didn't want to touch herself now that he was awake, but she also knew that rubbing her thighs together would get her nowhere fast. _Maybe I'll just go take a shower and indulge while I'm in there?_ Lucy rolled to Cristoff's side and was about to get off when she found body sandwiched to Cristoff's. _I can't believe he's spooning me right now!_

"Don't worry my lil mate," purred Cristoff into Lucy's ear. "I will help ease your discomfort. You'll be yelling my name by the time I'm done with you." Lucy's body shivered at his unspoken promise. His lips were on her neck, kissing and nipping while occasionally sucking on her earlobe, one hand started palming her large soft breast while the other made its way from her hip to the apex of her thighs. Lucy's mind was in a turmoil of sensations and her body at the mercy of her dragon.

"So wet for me, my star?" Cristoff huskily whispered into her ear and he drug a finger across the wet spot on her lace underwear, causing her to moan loudly. "You smell so good. I can't wait to taste you - to spread your creamy thighs and put my tongue in your wet pussy until you're begging to come." Cristoff inhaled the heady scent of her fresh wave of arousal from his dirty talk and couldn't help but rub his erection against Lucy's ass.

Lucy knew she liked dirty talk, but hearing Cristoff's lusty voice tell her exactly what he was going to do to her had her pussy pulsating with need. "Cristoff please," Lucy breathily asked him.

"What is it you need?"

"I need . . . ohh . . . please fini . . . finish me." Lucy arched her back against his chest when he pinched her sensitive nipple while rubbing hard fast circles on her clit. She was moaning shamelessly then, as the coil began to build tighter and tighter. Lucy didn't know how long she sat on the edge of delirium, but two words would push her over the edge.

"Come now," Cristoff had demanded of her which her body responded too. An explosion of pleasure rocked through Lucy's body as she yelled Cristoff's name to any deity that was listening. When she came down from her high and her breathing was somewhat normal she turned around to roughly kiss him on the lips.

"You should shower first," Cristoff suggested after breaking their kiss and watching Lucy get up and make her way to the bathroom. "However, you can toss me your underwear. You're going to be gone for five long weeks and I want to keep the heady smell of you around." Cristoff smirked at the blushing blonde as she threw her underwear at him and continued on her way into the shower. _Five weeks is going to be utter hell!_

* * *

Arman looked at his family as they were all saying goodbye to one another. Laxus and Natsu were currently indisposed and Freed had decided to stay with Farron until the slayers were done with their mating rituals, which meant that only Lucy, Cobra, and Bickslow would be heading back to Magnolia. He was positive that Cobra would be mating with his chosen woman when he got back home, especially after watching three other slayers go about finding or claiming theres. Lucy was doing her best not to cry as she said farewell to everyone, but when it came to say bye to Cristoff the tears just seemed to pour from her chocolate eyes.

He hadn't remembered Lucy when he had first met her on the plane a couple months ago, but after getting acquainted with her he had realized she was definitely a Heartfilia. She looked like Layal with the same golden hair and beautiful smile, however she was undeniably smart and well versed in many things as Jude had always wanted her to be. Now Lucy would one day be his daughter, and that warmed his heart, if only Vander and Bickslow could find the same happiness as his siblings. Mr. Pradesh was a patient man, and would wait for the day the last of his sons were happily married, besides he would more than likely be a grandfather in a few short months.

For now he had work to keep him occupied and his eldest had some leads about the Pergrande attack and kidnapping, none of which were looking promising. It looked like the the attack had been planned, since they were hoping to figure out where Zen had been taken to. Thankfully Zen was not on the mission to rescue Bickslow, so that could remain quiet for a while longer. What was greatly troubling the ambassador the fact that the King of Pergrande was slinking in the shadows - thankfully he had a son whom could slink with the best of them.

Vander and Presch had went scouting, but everything was very tight lipped and it seemed that none of the lackies knew what was happening. He was hoping that the King knew nothing about Lucy or the dragon eggs, but his gut feeling was telling him that wasn't the case. Vander, Presch, and Cristoff would be going to the mountains to see about the key that Presch had heard rumors about and with any luck word about the Alpha Keys wouldn't get around. There was lots of planning to be done and he was going to make sure his back up plans had back ups plans.

* * *

The flight back to Magnolia had been long, but by midday the following day they were landing at the international airport and being greeted by Jet, Droy, and Max. The three mages were sent by Master Erza with her SE vehicle to ensure that everyone arrived safely and to help them with anything they would need. The three mages decided to head back to their respected houses and unpack before going to the guild and all the chaos that was bound to ensue.

Cobra arrived at the guild first and went to the bar to order a drink, but stopped when he noticed that Kinana wasn't around. Mira and her were always working the bar, especially for the evening rush. He sniffed and found that her scent wasn't at the guild either, and his dragon started to panic.

"Cobra you're back!" Wendy yelled from the second level of the guild and she jumped off the balcony and ran towards him. "Thank Mavis. I need you to come with me right now." The bluenette grabbed his hand and was pulling him out the guild doors using her wind magic to propel them forward and before he knew it they were at Fairy Hills.

"Fuck half pint! What the hell is going on?" an irritated, and slightly nauseous poison slayer asked.

"Kinana has been sick since you left Cobra. It's all your fuckin fault too!" Cobra looked hard at Wendy. He could tell her magic had increased while he was away and she had grown up alot, maturing into a formidable female dragon slayer. She was taller than Lucy now, her hair was pulled into a high ponytail that reached her mid back and she was wearing a pale yellow tank top and dark green shorts.

"Why is she sick and how the hell is it my fault?"

"You gave her two mating marks and then left for almost two full months!" Wendy was glaring at him with everything that she had as her power surfaced and the air around her started to flutter her clothes. "She sleeps most of the time because you haven't been around to keep the bond strong and actually finish the process. She is physically and mentally healthy, but if you had stayed away longer I can't say for sure what her condition would be like. I still can't believe you two didn't finish mating before you left to find Lucy. One week wouldn't have hurt anyone. Now you better get your ass up there and finish this tonight or else I will tear you limb from limb for just being damn stupid!" Wendy pushed off from the ground, using her magic to fly in the direction of the guild.

Scary Wendy wasn't scary Lucy, but she was still not to be trifled with. He followed his nose into Fairy Hills, careful not to get caught by the landlady and have his ass thrown off the property of the all female housing unit. He found her in Wendy's room, which he assumed made sense, since she was a healer she'd want to keep an eye on her. Plus if she was with any male in the guild his dragon would have reacted violently.

There she stood in the kitchen in nothing but a robe. Her long smooth legs were the only bare piece of skin he could see, but his eyes travelled up them to where the hem of the robe blocked his view of her round ass. His grey eye darkened and growl filled the small apartment complex, startling his mate as she turned around with a hand on her chest to see what had caused the noise.

Kinana's breath caught in her throat as she saw Cobra standing before her. The look in his eye was positively feral and it caused her thighs to clench together as heat pooled there. She could already feel her bond strengthening and judging by the look she was receiving he was going to finish the last stage tonight. Her legs were moving before another thought could form and she launched herself at her poison dragon slayer, who caught her easily and inhaled his citrus and earthy scent.

Cobra could smell her excitement and couldn't help but pull her into a hot demanding kiss and he took advantage of her shock and plunged his tongue in to taste her, moaning at how right this felt. He quickly undresses himself and pulled his mate against his toned skin, but she was having none of it and he found himself sitting on a chair and he watched her sensually peel the robe from her body. It was slow torture, but if this is how his mate wanted to punish him for being gone so long then he would gladly endure it.

"Need you," Cobra's voice sounded hoarse, but Kinana couldn't deny the longing tone.

"I need you too, so damn much." Kinana felt like crying with happiness at the sight of her mate ready and waiting for her. He had been gone for so long that she had almost feared that he didn't want her anymore, until Wendy stepped in and put her heart at ease with a conversation about how his dragon had chose her and while he may be gone he wouldn't forget her. She sat on his lap and throatily said, "Let me feel your hands on my body. I need you to touch me Erik."

He groaned as he cupped her soft mounds and she could feel his shaft getting hotter and harder along her ass cheeks, this was exactly what they needed. Spreading her legs a little more she lowered herself down and ground against his, rubbing her wet pussy against his throbbing member. The ridge of his cock was pressing against her and parting her velvety lips apart, teasing him with her heat. She wanted him and was so close to having him, finally.

Cobra must have been feeling the same way as his large hand made its way down to her small patch of hair just above her pleasure point. He roughly stroked up and down her lips with a single finger, while moving his mouth from her lips to the abandoned nipple and gently sucking on it. Kinana bucked against his hand and threw her head back in a silent moan. With a quick motion he embedded a digit into her wet folds and curved inward finding her hidden jewel.

"Oh Mavis . . . Erik!"

Cobra smiled against her perky breast, he loved making her call his name out. He continued to explore her wet depths, rubbing over her slippery folds as he found her pink pearl and massaged it with his thumb.

"So hot," Cobra muttered as his fingers worked her deeper. "So wet for me."

"Can't . . . help it," she assured him grinding onto his his hand. "I always get this wet for you. You don't know how much I've missed you." Her first ogasm washed over her body like a tidal wave, as she bucked wildly on his hand, riding out the effects. He slowly moved his hand from her heat and licked his fingers clean of her sweet juices. Kinana pulled him forward for a long, heated kiss and invaded his mouth with her tongue. She could taste herself on his lips, salty and hot, and it drove home the fact that she needed to have him, all of him, buried deep within her.

"I'm so glad I came back." He nipped her neck gently. "Your scent is driving me crazy baby. I need to claim you. To own you."

"Then take me. I'm all yours." Cobra slowly eased his large cock into her tight hot folds, watching his mates face as he entered her. Once he was fully sheathed he gave her a minute to adjust to his length and girth, before slowly pulling out. Her moan of enjoyment had him picking up the pace and setting a easy rhythm.

Mavis he felt good - hot, hard, and soft all at once. She could feel her desire peaking and the need to have him move harder and faster couldn't be denied much longer. He filled her up to the brink and looked down, wanting to watch as he moved within her. She gasped as she saw his thick shaft buried deep inside her and decided she had never seen anything more erotic than her body accepting him.

With a low growl he captured her lips in a passionate kiss as he pressed deeper and harder into her slick heat. He surged upward and Kinana gasped as the deep thrust shot a needle of pure sensation down her spine. With another low growl he picked up his pace, thrusting harder, faster, deeper into her. He latched onto a nipple, with both hands grasping her hips and he pummeled her weeping pussy.

"So close . . . Just need . . . ohh." The broad expanse of his thumb stroked her clit and he watched as her eyes fluttered closed. He could feel his fangs lengthening in response to both of them being so close to finishing, causing his to move his thumb in harder circles.

"ERIK!" Kinana cried out and her second orgasm rocked through her body so hard that she barely felt Cobra's fangs sink into the juncture of her neck. Once his fangs were skin deep and his magic pushed itself into her, cementing their bond, his orgasm tore through his body and he emptied himself into Kinana. They stayed like that for a while, neither willing to move apart from one another. She looked up at Cobra's face with a smile.

"How about we clean up Wendy's apartment, you take me to your house, and then you can give me an encore performance." Her eyes misted over with lust as she thought about doing this again with her mate.

"Sounds like one hell of a plan!"

* * *

Lucy and Bickslow arrived at the guild at the same time, smiled at one another, and entered only to duck as a table came hurtling towards their heads. Looking at each they both burst out laughing - some things never changed.

"Lucy! Bickslow!" yelled the voices of their excited guildmates. They barely made it three steps before everyone was gathering around them asking about the mission or where the rest of the Fairy Tail mages were. Question after question was being asked before either mage had time to answer the previous one.

"Alright, that's enough!" the scarlet haired master shouted at the crowd of people. "How about we let them get something to eat and drink before we pounce on them any further." Lucy ran up to Erza and gave her a large hug. "I am glad to find that you are alright, but I am most intrigued to hear about everything that has transpired while you were away."

"Don't hog her all to yourself Master," came the cool voice of her best friend.

"Grey!" The ice mage opened his arms and Lucy took the invitation to dive into them. "I have missed all you so much. Can't believe we've been gone for almost three months."

"Come on Lucy. I'll buy you supper and get Mira to make you your favorite drink." Grey laughed as he saw hearts in her eyes at the thought of a strawberry milkshake. Mira brought out Lucy's milkshake and a BLT with yam fries.

"How was everything in Bosco?" Mira inquired as she watched Lucy happily munch on her food, as Bickslow ordered another beer for himself. Lucy launched into her tale about finding the mission, opening her third origin, her trip to the celestial world, and about the newly mated and promised couples and Bickslow filled the gaps of the story while she was in the celestial world, him being kidnapped, and the rescue mission.

"That's everything! So glad we could make it back in time to welcome two more babies into our family!" Lucy happily bounced in her chair, while Bickslow raised his eyebrow at her. He couldn't figure out why she didn't tell them about her being the Dragon Queen, the Celestial Princess, or her mission to find the dragon eggs. _If she wants to keep this to herself then she must have a reason, so I'll just keep my trap shut._

"Enough about Cosplayer and I. What about everyone around here? What's been shakin?" Bickslow was curious to hear about everything that had happened while they were away. Mira, the ever loving gossip queen filled them in on all of the pertinent details. Evergreen was currently seventeen weeks along in her pregnancy and has an insatiable appetite for all things meat - pork, beef, chicken, fish - if Mira could cook it she would eat it. The guild took every opportunity to tease Ever about how their little girl was going to come out screaming how manly she was.

Sting was driving Yukino absolutely insane about with how cautious he was being around her. She couldn't get out of bed unless he checked her over to make sure she was feeling fine and that nothing was sore. He was a bundle of nerves and Yukino had been a saint to him, until recently when he tried to tell her she couldn't go to the bathroom in the guild unless he was with her. The celestial wizard had called Libra out and had put Sting in a constant state of movement, and the poor slayer's motion sickness had kicked in big time. Otherwise the parents-to-be were doing great.

Rogue and Lisanna, along with Grey and Juvia, still weren't pregnant yet much to the dismay of several guild members whom were sorely losing the bets they had placed. Neither couple was ready to jump on the baby train, granted they had no problem jumping all over their mates. They had been caught in some compromising positions around the guild that had resulted in numerous jokes about public indecency.

Both mages had marvelled at how big Violet, Gale, and Slate had gotten. They were all driving their parents insane with how much mischief they were getting into since they were all mobile now. Levy had complained that if the kids didn't smarten up she was never having sex with Gajeel again, so there wouldn't be the chance of having more little hellions. Gajeel had choked on a bolt he was eating after her comment and had tried harder with helping Levy with the boys. Violet had her mother's penance for fighting, so she had started following the slayer twins around and bonking them on the head whenever they were close to getting them in trouble.

"Lulu! You have to tell me about all of the hot Boscan men that you met? I want all of the dirty deets." Cana had never been to Bosco, but she had met black hair red eyed Boscan man once while on one of her missions. He had told her that she'd forget her own name by the end of the night, but unfortunately had been called away before he could good on his promise to her.

"There are plenty of attractive men in the White Sea guild and I am sure you would have fit quite well." Lucy meant that whole heartily too. The brash mage was fearless when it came to men and sex and with her darker hair and tan complexion she definitely would have many offers.

"Come on Lulu! There had to be someone there that tickled your fancy, or maybe tickled something else." The card mage wiggled her eyebrows suggestively as Lucy turned red and shook her head no.

"I'm sure Cristoff would have tickled you thoroughly if you had let him," Bickslow snickered at the unsuspecting celestial mage. "Tickled you with his fingers, tongue, di . . ." Lucy had promptly slapped her hands over the seith mages mouth before he could go any further.

"Whom is this Cristoff that Bickslow speaks of?" asked Erza with a menacing look on her face.

"He's a lunar dragon slayer and is one of Bickslow's brothers. Nothing Bickslow or Cana implied happened. The only thing we did was kiss a couple of times." Lucy said while crossing her arms over her ample chest and shooting Bickslow a glare to keep his lips sealed about the whole mate thing.

"Well it's late, so we should probably be heading home. We'll see you tomorrow though Lu and you can tell us more about Laxus, Freed, and Natsu and their significant others." Levy waived over to Gajeel whom scooped up their tired boys and headed out for the night. Everyone else said their goodbyes and headed out as well.

Lucy started to fidget in her chair and Bickslow whispered into her ear, "Stay at my place for the next while Cosplayer. I can feel how antsy you are about being alone and it's making me unsettled, and truth be told I would rather have you with me so I know that you're safe." Lucy smiled brightly at Bickslow and immediately stopped fidgeting before making their way to his house for the night.

Lucy woke feeling refreshed and ready to tackled the day. After a quick shower she bounded down the stairs to the smell of bacon sizzling on the stove. Virgo stood in the kitchen making bacon, eggs, sausages, and pancakes while Bickslow sat at the table drinking coffee and flipping through the newspaper. Lucy lifted an inquiring eyebrow in his direction and the seith mage shrugged his shoulders and continued reading his article.

"Good morning Princess. I have taken the liberty of cooking you and Mr. Bickslow breakfast this morning. Punishment time?" Virgo enjoyed being able to help her Princess out in whatever manner she could, and making sure she had breakfast was one small way she could do that.

"Not this morning Virgo, but thank you for breakfast. It looks really amazing!" Lucy's stomach protested about not being fed so she piled her plate full and joined Bickslow at the table. Said mage got up, dished his own plate, and sat back in his chair. They ate in comfortable silence for a while.

"Cosplayer, why didn't you tell everyone the rest of what happened to you or that you're Cristoff's mate?" This had been bugging him since last night and he wanted to know what going on inside that head of hers. Lucy was about to answer, but a knock at the door stopped her, so she went to answer it.

"Erik, what can I do for you this morning?" Lucy thought it was curious that he was here this morning considering he hadn't seen his mate on almost two months.

"Is that bacon I smell?"

"Get your greedy ass in here and help us eat all this food! You'd think that Virgo was cooking for an army." Bickslow's voice called from the kitchen Lucy sighed and let the poison slayer into the house. "Wasn't expecting to see you so soon. Figured you'd be busy letting your woman know how much of a man you are." Bickslow chortled as the slayer fixed himself a heaping plate of food.

"Oh don't you worry. She's been made fully aware. She'll never forget who she belongs to after last night." Cobra's toothy grin had Lucy squealing in delight and hugging the temperamental mage who accepted it.

"So then what are you doing here? I mean if you've bonded with her then why aren't you just enjoying being together or even at the guild this morning?" Lucy asked with a confused look on her face.

"Kinana and I had arrived at the guild this morning and I asked Mira where the queen was and she looked at me like I had grown three heads, and Kinana looked just as puzzled. I left the women hanging to find you two and see what the hell happened yesterday." Cobra hadn't intentionally meant to call Lucy queen, it was just a natural comment to make. Now he needed to know what all had been discussed while he was with his mate.

"We told them the basics. I left out the Dragon Queen, Celestial Princess, dragon eggs, and being Cristoff's mate on purpose. Everything else they have been told though." Lucy continued to eat her delicious breakfast as the two men stared at her waiting for her to continue. "I can't exactly describe it. I don't like hiding things from my family, but at the same time I feel like I shouldn't be telling the entire guild either. I plan on telling Erza, Gajeel, Sting, Rogue, and their mates since this will affect them the most."

"Dragon instincts," mumbled Cobra under his breath, which caused two pairs of eyes to land on him. "They warn us about things that our conscious minds can't yet comprehend. Similar to what people refer to as intuition, but it's a much stronger pull. Almost urges you to act on it no matter what. Guess we a keeping our this to our small group for now."

"Would you two come with me to the guild to help explain all of this too them? I feel like I am going to be needing some help with the explanations." Both mages nodded their head before continuing on with their meals. Virgo volunteered to clean up, so they could head to the guild and spend the morning explaining to the others what had occured. Bickslow had flown the three of them to the guild on his babies, significantly speeding up their arrival. Screams could be heard from inside the guild hall, but they weren't under attack. The three of them looked at each other quizzically before venturing inside.

Upon entering they were met with a disbelieving sight of the guild member all tied up with metal, except for Gajeel. Some were hanging from the rafters and others were restrained against the wall, chairs, and tables. Gajeel was attempting to get Gale to release all of the mages that were currently being held captive by his son. Gale was glaring at Gajeel and no amount or growling or yelling could change the tiny mages mind.

"What happened in here iron dick?" asked Cobra whom was staring in disbelief at the scene in front of him.

"Gale ate through his metal magic cancelling cuffs after breakfast this morning and starting throwing his magic around left, right, and centre. We tried to get him to stop since we don't want him to deplete his magic and get hurt, but before we knew it he had everyone strung up. Normally I can pull rank being the alpha male in our house, but he's decided to be a lil dick today and won't listen."

"Can't you just eat through his metal?" Bickslow managed to get out while laughing at the situation.

"I tried eating it, but he just creates more restraints," growled Gajeel in frustration. "Levy would tie him up, but she'd at the city library this morning."

"Oh I can't wait to tell her all about how much you've fucked up bolts for brains." Cobra was enjoying this too much.

"Go to hell poison dick!" Gale tried to tie up Gajeel, who growled in response and two growls responded his. Apparently Slate wasn't happy with his dad either and had joined in defying him.

"Damn it!" cursed Cobra, who was thankful for his abilities and was able to dodge the kids attempt to pin him to the floor. Bickslow called his babies and took off into the air where he was much faster than the small slayer.

"That's enough!" demanded Lucy as she stopped her foot. Her eyes were glowing a soft gold as she leveled a hard look at the two young slayers. Slate instantly stopped growling at his dad and whined a little. Gale didn't take no for an answer and turned his growl on Lucy, so she walked up to the little boy and let loose a deep growl of her own. Gale immediately stopped and whined up at the celestial mage, who sharpley snarled at the twins. They both rolled onto their backs and showed their tummies in submission to Lucy. Lucy nipped each of their ears in reprimand, but then nuzzled their cheek to let them know they were forgiven. She picked Gale up, put a new set of cuffs on his wrists, and let a low growl vibrate from her chest into his body to let him know there would be consequences if he chewed this set.

"What the ever loving fuck just happened?" a disbelieving Gajeel managed to get out.

"We have some things we need to talk about, but right now you should probably free everyone. Besides we need to wait for Levy to get back." Lucy picked up the boys and headed for the nursery/playroom. "What are we going to do with you munchkins?" Lucy asked as she nuzzled their faces and the boys giggled in response. Life at the guild was never boring.

* * *

It had taken the better part of the morning for Gajeel to eat through all of the iron restraints that Gale had placed on the guild members. Levy had returned as Gajeel was finishing up with the last of their family and was livid with what her son had done. She listened to her mate as he told her what happened and her eyes widened when he said Lucy was the one who made the boys stop by growling at them.

"Lucy isn't a slayer, so how is that even possible? Why would they even listen to her?" Levy was puzzled, but Gajeel mentioned she wanted to speak to the slayers and her mates and explain everything.

"When the hell did Lucy learn how to growl? Is she a dragon slayer too?" Macao voiced what everyone else was thinking.

"After spending her time around seven dragon slayer here and two is Bosco you should be lucky that she's learned is how to growl," Cobra stated rolling his eyes and working to cover up what had occured.

"Be damn happy that scary Lucy isn't dragon scary Lucy!" piped up Bickslow as he watched everyone quake in fear at that thought. _Bickslow? Can you hear me?_ Said mage spun around in circles looking for whoever was talking to him? _Bix? Hello? Maybe it doesn't work that way?_ Cobra's eye got wide as he heard Lucy speaking to Bickslow.

"It must be part of your link. Tink must be tapping into it somehow." Cobra was amazed at how Lucy's powers seemed to be constantly growing with her third origin being opened. "Don't just stand there like a pansy. Try talking back to her." The seith mage blinked a couple of times still trying to process what was happening. _Cosplayer?_ He asked while picturing Lucy. _Bix! Oh Mavis it actually works!_ He jumped when her voice popped back into her head. _Jeez Cosplayer. This is going to take some getting used too, but it's pretty kick ass. Think of all the wicked pranks we could pull now!_ Bickslow heard Lucy giggle in his head while he watched Cobra shake his head at the two. _If everyone is at the guild can you and Erik round them up and bring them to Erza's office please? Don't forget Grey and Juvia please._

The two mages did as they were told and brought everyone into the office and Erza activated the silence feature on her office as per Lucy's request. Lucy then recounted the missing pieces of the story and told everyone about Draco, being the Dragon Queen, the Alpha Keys, being the Princess of the Celestial World, and finding the dragon eggs, plus all of the dangers all of that could potentially come along with that. Bickslow mentioned about how the King of Pergrande was also planning something big, because of what happened while he was captured. The slayers were more perplexed than their mates, but it was still a lot of information to take in.

"So what happens now that you're the queen? How does this change the slayer dynamic? What's the plan to find the Alpha Keys? What about . . ."

"Levy let Bunny Girl answer them one at a time," chuckled Gajeel as he put a hand on his mate's shoulder causing the blunette to blush.

"I don't actually know what being the queen entails besides that it's my responsibility to look after the nest and its needs and I have to bare witness when Laxus goes through the final stage to bond his mate because Emzadi will challenge him for dominance. Wendy will go through something similar, except her mate will have to challenge her before stage one can even begin - if he's not a slayer." Lucy paused at that thought. _How did I even know all that? Last I was told was that a challenge would have to be issued by the female slayer, but not any other details. Ugh my head hurts!_

"Does this affect anything with the slayers themselves?" Sting asked while he stared at his mate.

"Not right now," Lucy started to say. "Everything will continue as it always has been, but there may be some . . . bumps along the road when I have to claim my mate."

"Mate? What fucking mate?" The room began to cool as Grey's hands started to get covered in ice.

"With Tink being the only celestial mage to ever be granted the privilege of obtaining Draco's keys she also obtains some slayer quirks."

"Well that explains the growling from earlier today and why the boys couldn't resist a direct order from you, as their queen." Gajeel rubbed his chin in thought while the other slayers cocked their heads a waited for more. "Metalicana explained to me that if I was ever fortunate to become part of a nest that there would be a queen, she would be a fierce protector of the nest and has the final say in everything that would affect the nest as a whole. Lucy's growled at the boys and made them submit to her, which they did by showing their bellies to her, and she accepted their submission but not without a light reprimand. That's what her nipping their ear meant and the warning the growl afterwards when she put the cuffs back on Gale meant that the next punishment would be worse."

"I didn't even know I could do any of that yesterday!" Lucy threw her hands up in frustration.

"Dragon instinct will be strong in you Tink, and will probably get worse as you collect more of Draco's keys." Cobra explained. He had been listening in on the slayers conversations for a long time now and had done some research here and there, but there was nothing to compare it too with what Lucy was going through.

"I don't know what I'm doing! I just know that I have a million different things being thrown my way and I just have to deal with it." Tears started to leak down Lucy's reddened cheeks. "It's all all so much and I don't want to let anyone down or get hurt, but I have no plan and no idea where to start."

"Lucy," it was Rogue who had spoken up, which was weird for the quiet slayer. "No one here is going to judge you on what you decide to do or how to go about accomplishing your tasks. Personally I don't think there could be a better queen to lead our nest."

"Don't worry too much about it Lu! We will all help you out anyway we can and I am going to start by documenting everything that happens so we can reference back to it or if another mage goes through something like this one day." Levy excitedly said which caused Lucy to stop crying.

"Once flametard and socket boy get back with their mates we will all sit down and form a plan, so for now just do the same thing you always do and we'll adjust as things come along," Sting said with a smirk on his face and everyone nodded their heads in consent.

"Thanks guys," Lucy said with a watery smile.

"Not that I don't want to continue talking about this, but my water just broke."


	10. Chapter 9

Farron and Freed's sex scene is my first same sex couple scene I have written, so hopefully it's not too bad. Thank you for continuing to read and review! I will update again soon.

* * *

It had been three weeks since Yukino's water had broke in Erza's office, much to the dismay of the scarlet leader. Sting had promptly fainted, so Gajeel hauled his ass out of the office while Rogue and Bickslow carried the celestial mage into the infirmary. Wendy was hot on their heels already pushing healing magic into Yukino to help with her contractions and pain. Lucy had followed after her friends and sat beside Yukino throughout her ordeal, while Sting unfortunately stayed unconscious for the entire event.

Several hours later Yukino gave birth to two healthy six pound boys, and Sting was there after to help name the new additions. Stryder had light orange hair and storm grey eyes, while Axion had turquoise hair and honey colored eyes. The family was doing well and had adjusted from going to a family of two to a family of four over the course of the month. The guild had been extremely excited to hear about the two new members to the guild and had partied it up all night long in true Fairy Tail fashion.

Once Yukino had delivered the babies she had called Bickslow and Cobra in to see if either could determine whether they had magic or were slayers. Bickslow was able to see their souls and could tell they were slayers and Cobra saw first hand what kind of magic they wielded. Cobra had gotten too close to their mother and released a gas, which Cobra inhaled since it was toxic. Axion on the other hand had tried to cover the poison slayer in sand from head to toe, which caused Lucy to giggle.

After the incident with Gale, Lucy had asked Virgo to commission new bracelets that would be resistant to the children's powers to get them off while cancelling their powers until they were old enough to handle them. The bracelets were black with a small lacrima that were powered by the celestial realm, so Lucy would have to power them up once every three months.

Kaleb had also sent money to the guild for Lucy and Bickslow to pay for the mission to help them with waking up Zen and determining what the key was. Lucy wasn't paying rent since she was living with Bickslow, so the two million jewel would go towards her plan for the nest. Hopefully the others would be up for her plan and would help her along the way. Life was finally starting to feel normal again.

* * *

Emzadi had completely and utterly enjoyed her three weeks with Laxus. They had found pretty much all of each others pleasure points and spent many a sleepless night appreciating each others bodies. Now however she felt like she needed to run, like she couldn't stay here, so she escaped from Laxus' fortress and started solar jumping. She needed to find her queen and her instincts were running overtime now, so Emzadi continued to on knowing that Laxus would eventually catch up to her.

Laxus was pissed! She had knocked him out and tied him to the bed in magic cancelling cuffs before she had taken off. He didn't know why she chose to bolt when they were so close to finishing the last stage of mating, but his dragon was furious and the moment they were loose he starting following her magic signature. She had a good half day start on him, but there was no way in hell he was going to let her slip through his fingers.

Emzadi had arrived inside the Fairy Tail guild much to the surprise of all the other mages currently sitting there whom automatically went on the offense. The guild was filled with a glow of magic lighting it from the inside. Everyone was prepared to fight this stranger and Emzadi started to panic since she was low on magical energy.

"STOP!" Everyone looked up to the third floor where Lucy stood. "That's Laxus' mate and Bickslow's sister." _If she's here then that means . . ._ Lucy's eyes went wide. "Bix! Sting! Rogue! Get everyone to safety right now. Bix! Gaj! I need you to grab Emzadi and take her to the clearing in the forest like we discussed. Erza don't let anyone leave and Levy activate those runes around the city and sound the alarm. Leo! Capricorn! Scorpio! I need you be on the lookout for Laxus and delay him as much as you can and hopefully I will have time to explain what needs to happen to Em."

Lucy ran outside and summoned Pegasus and flew to the clearing where she met with the other three slayers. Emzadi had drained a lot of her strength getting here and was exhausted, but Lucy knew she'd still put up one hell of a fight against Laxus.

"Lucy! What's going on?" The solar slayer was utterly confused as she looked to the celestial mage.

"I need to explain this as quickly as possible. Your last week of mating is the bonding ceremony and your dragon wants your mate to prove that he's worthy of your attention. You and Laxus are going to battle it out until one of you dominates the other. If Laxus wins then he will mark you right here where he has won you and if you win then you'll probably end up killing him. You're not going to be able to get out of this, so be prepared and I'm sorry I can't do more." Lucy rambled on trying to get the essential facts out since she could feel the static in the air. "Erik and Gaj you need to be behind the tree line and once I announce the winner then you will head back to Fairy Tail with the all clear sign and can fill everyone in on what has happened. Tell Wendy that she will be needed an hour after you give the all clear and to meet me at Natsu's shack."

 _Lucy! We can't hold him back much more._ Lucy ushered the men to move behind the trees and gave Emzadi and quick hug. _Lead him to the forest clearing and then return to the celestial realm. Thank you for helping me guys._ Lucy ran so that she was still in the clearing and still visible to both parties while standing stock still.

The air held an electric charge as Emzadi took an offensive stance, waiting for her mate to arrive. Her dragon's hackles were already raised, waiting to emerge. In a bolt of lightning Laxus appeared before her, but this man was different. Yellow scales coated his body and his eyes were the darkest grey she had ever seen and the way his lightning sparked against his skin had her drooling. His growl shook her to the core and had her dragon responded with a defiant growl of its own.

Laxus had been flashing from one area to the next in search of his mate and with each jump he became more frustrated. He landed in the last spot he thought he would find her, in his hometown of Magnolia. The city was quiet and there was no one in the streets on this warm afternoon day, which had him cautiously proceeding. A blast of gold blindsighted him and when he regained his footing he saw Loke standing before him and gave chase. He encountered two more of Lucy's spirits and continued to fight them off. When he picked up Emzadi's scent he was gone.

The two slayers began circling one another, eyeing each other up but waiting for the other to strike first. Laxus lunged forward and caught Emzadi around the waist, pinning her to the ground. Her fist lit up with an orange glow as it connected to Laxus' temple, effectively throwing the large mage off of her. She jumped towards the blonde slayer as her Solar Dragon Flare attack arked over her head before making a beeline towards him, hitting him square in the chest and pushing him back a few feet. Emzadi's breathing was becoming laboured as she glowered at the mage whom was still on his feet.

Laxus grinned as he stepped out of the ruts his feet had in the earth as he was pushed back from his mate's attack. He knew she was weakening, so he was going to bid his time and throw some weaker punches at her to make her take the offensive stance. Emzadi let loose a blazing solar dragon's roar, but Laxus teleported right before it had the chance to hit him, landing behind the tiring solar dragon slayer. His own lightning dragon roar hit Emzadi in the back, which had her eating dirt. She managed to roll onto her back, but Laxus was upon her before she had time to defend herself.

He pinned her arms above her head and the rest of her body was trapped beneath his much larger frame, but she still struggled under him. Her movements caused his member to harden as he nuzzled her causing her to lift her chin to him and submit. Laxus' eyes glanced towards Lucy's, whom nodded her approval to him acknowledging him as the winner of the battle. His dark storm eyes flashed yellow as he bit the juncture of Emzadi's neck and shoulder and fused his magic with hers. Emzadi's orange eyes widened in pain, but she didn't scream instead she let her mate finish marking her before he pulled his shirt over his head and offered his neck to her. Her fangs elongated as she sunk them into his flesh and poured her magic into him as well, uniting them until the end of days.

Lucy slowly approached the newly mated couple, but Laxus bared his fangs at her and let forth a dangerous growl as Emzadi whined still trapped under his hulking form. Lucy answered his growl with a snarl of her own, clearly stating she wasn't to be messed with. Once the dragon recognized his queen he receded into the depths of Laxus' mind and he blinked to gather his bearings.

"Natsu's old shack has been prepared for you two. I suggest you take her there and properly finish the bonding ceremony. Levy has set up runes around the house, so you will both need to flare your magic before entering. I will see the both of you at the guild tomorrow afternoon." Lucy smiled, pivoted and left the two slayers to their own devices. She had a long walk ahead of her, but was excited to have a little quiet.

"Can you teleport us there big boy? I can't wait to have you inside of me." Emzadi purred into Laxus' ear. Grunting Laxus pulled together his magic and transported them to the outside of the fire dragon's house, kicking open the door as he carried his mate into the house and tossing her onto the bed. He shredded her clothes from her body and quickly followed suit with his own. He first smelled her arousal when he nuzzled her neck and it had been growing stronger since then, he could practically taste how wet she was.

"I don't need foreplay Laxus. I just need you - all of you!" Emzadi didn't want endless foreplay or teasing touches, she needed her mate to fuck her. Laxus hooked one arm under her knee, easily sliding home, causing both mages let out a satisfied moan. The feel of him inside of her was already better than any sex she had ever had. He didn't have to move - his thick cock stretched her in all of the right places.

Hitching her knee higher he began to power into her with quick, deep thrusts that her eagerly meeting him thrust for thrust. She pulled him down for a kiss, their lips caressing and tongues tangling. Emzadi wanted to savour the way her mate's body felt against her own, but her release was already so close. Wrapping her legs around his waist she pulled him deeper and Laxus moaned feeling her core take him in deeper.

Their bodies slammed into one another, straining towards a climax. Laxus set a punishing rhythm, driving harder and deeper into her sopping pussy. Irrational thoughts swirled around their heads for a moment before they dissolved into a shower of intense sparks. Their joint orgasm tore through their bodies like a tornado, dragging them around in a pleasure filled haze. Laxus collapsed on top of her, his mind reeling from the most intense orgasm he had ever had and judging by the look of pure ecstasy on his mate's face he figured it was the same for her.

"Good thing Lucy said not to be at the guild until tomorrow afternoon. I haven't had my fill of you just yet my molten mate." Laxus grinned already hardening inside of her.

"Make sure I thank Lucy tomorrow."

* * *

Lucy had called the embassy and Farron answered her call. They chatted briefly, but Lucy had just wanted to let the family know that Emzadi and Laxus were happily mated and currently in Magnolia. Farron told her that Freed and himself, and more than likely Xally and Natsu would be heading to Magnolia in a few days. Lucy was happy to hear that and said she'd inform the guild and maybe tell Bickslow, which had the sound mage laughing, before she ended the call.

Farron was excited to see the guild that his beloved was apart of, even if it was rough around the corners. Farron new that Freed's home life was less than stellar with his dad wanting him to take over the family business and hating magic users. Even though Freed attained his power from a book he was reading, his father had almost disowned him but it would tarnish the Justine name. The rune mage was now an outcast and only returned home for few days around the new year, and that was only to see his mother and two brothers. Hisui had asked to meet with him, so this would hopefully also be a working vacation for him.

He made his way from his study to where he was currently sharing a room with the green haired man he was able to call his. Freed had been shy around him for the longest time and so very quiet, but after Bickslow had "accidently" gotten the rune mage drunk one night he had found out just how much he was in love with him. Since that night Freed had come out of his shell and fully embraced his inner Boscan, which made Farron's toes curl thinking about what that man could do with his mouth. Farron had taken plenty of women and men to bed over the years, but none of them made him feel whole like Freed did. His intellect was unrivaled and his rune magic was incredibly strong, he just needed to work a little on his people skills.

Farron opened the door to their room to hear the shower shut off and eagerly waited to see if Freed would come out naked, in a towel, or fully clothed - he was really hoping for one of the first two options. His cock was already straining against his pants as he heard the door open and out stepped Freed in a large white towel with his hair pulled to one side. Farron watched the water droplets cascade down his toned back and soak into the towel causing his heartbeat to speed up. He groaned out loud when Freed dropped the towel giving him the perfect view of his sculpted ass and long, lean legs.

Freed turned around upon hearing the groan and blushed while Farron stood admiring his body. It still caught him off guard that a man like Farron was in love with him, Promised even! Seeing the lust in his eyes as he raked them over his body sent a chill through him and it wasn't due to the weather. He watched as the sound mage adjusted his pants to accommodate his growing erection while Freed gave him a full view of his hardening cock. He was hoping they'd have some time to themselves before they were whisked off to another meeting or country. It had been several days since they had fucked and damn if he wasn't willing and wanting some sexy time.

"You seem to be in a good mood this morning. What would be the cause of that?" Freed inquired while he started to rub his dick. Farron's tongue wet his lips as he watched Freed's languid movements.

"Lucy called to say that Laxus and Emzadi have completed the mating process. I informed her that once Natsu was back with Xally we would head to Magnolia." Farron smiled at his promised and stripped himself of his own clothing before pulling Freed into a soft, sensual kiss. His lips started a trail from the rune mages jaw, down his neck, across both pectorals where he gently sucked on each pert nipple, before continuing his journey south. "I love how eager you are for me, how well you respond to every touch, lick, or nip."

Freed braced himself on the edge of the desk he found himself pushed up against, thankful for that since his knees were buckling with Farron's soft touches and playful nips. His hot mouth slowly sucked oh Freed's package, a tingling sensation left in its wake before he licked the precum off the tip. Freed was more than willing to submit to Farron and whatever the sexy mage decided to so to his body - he was no fool, he knew Farron liked being in control and did he ever enjoy being dominated.

Farron wrapped his mouth around Freed's throbbing member and quickly deep throated him, earning a strangled gasp from the rune mage. Farron started an aggressive pace that had him white knuckling the edge of the desk as he started to pant. Farron sucked on his index finger to slightly lubricate it then ran his hand around Freed's ass cheek towards his waiting hole. Farron lightly rimmed him causing Freed to thrust forward at the feeling before he gingerly inserted the digit to the second knuckle, all the while still working him with his mouth. Farron became further aroused as he watched Freed throw his head back and moan - he loved how vocal he could make him become and it spurred him to hear him yelling his name.

Freed was in heaven having Farron's how mouth on him while gently probing his ass. He knew what was coming next and reveled in the thought of his sound mage having his way with him. He watched as Freed stopped and pulled out the container of lube and poured a generous amount in his large hand before stroking his cock, coating it. Freed couldn't take his eye off of Farron's hand stroking his own cock, his knees wobbled in anticipation.

"Turn around and brace yourself on the desk Freed." The husky demand came from the golden haired mage. Freed hastily did as he was told, spreading his legs shoulder width apart, ass in the air on display for Farron. He took his lubed hand and ran it up and down the crease of Freed cheeks, inserting a finger here and there to further prep the mage. Freed hissed as he felt the his lovers tip enter his awaiting hole, slowly pushing each glorious inch of his length in until he was balls deep. Both mages breathing was ragged, each were eagerly awaiting more. Farron set a slow sensual pace to help his man adjust, since it had been a while since they were last able to partake in any activities.

"Oh Farron," whispered Freed while he closed his eyes. "Take me. I ready and I'm all yours." That was all the encouragement Farron needed to as he snapped his hips at a relentless pace. His cock was going deeper and deeper into Freed's ass, listening to Freed's cries of more were almost enough to undo the sound mage. He needed Freed to come with him, so he grabbed a fist of green hair and pulled with the same motion as his thrusting.

The extra roughness Farron was using with the green haired mage was phenomenal. Sensual, caring Farron made him feel loved and safe, but the demanding rough mage behind him made him feel sexy and wanted - it was intoxicating. Freed started thrusting back onto the large cock that was buried deep inside him."So close Farron . . . so . . . deli . . . ciously close." Farron's thrusting become wild and untamed and Freed yelled his lovers name as he came hard all over the floor, while Farron pulled out and ejaculated over Freed's lower back. Both mages stood where they were panting from the strength of their orgasms.

"I think you need another shower Freed, and I'd be happy to help clean up the mess I made." Farron's smirk told Freed that they were far from finished and he couldn't be more elated.

* * *

Zen's time in the Celestial World had been crazy and intense. Meeting all of Lucy's spirits, the Spirit King, and Draco had been overwhelming however when they explained how time flowed differently in the two worlds his brain seemed to malfunction. Draco figured he would need at least one full day to be taught everything about his magic and his ancestry. Zen was the only born Archangel mage in the last four hundred years and was destined to soul bond with another mage that was from the heavens. Soul bonding is the angel equivalent of dragon mating, however after the bond is completed Zen's healing ability would surface. All angels hold the power to heal, but are unable to access it until the bond has been completed due to power that he'd be able to wield. His significant other would be the grounding factor to that power since not only could he heal one thousand people at a time, but he could reverse heal and kill a thousand people.

The charcoal color of his wings was an oddity amongst the angels, but not unheard of. Turns out fallen angels wings turned black with a solid red circle stamped on their left shoulder blade and were to be hunted down and killed due to the crimes they had committed. However Zen's were black because of the abuse and torture he went through growing up and the mark that had left on his very soul. There were several cases of archangel mages being forcefully bonded to other mages and were made to do terrible things, which caused their wings to darken as well.

Zen's time in the gladiator pits had refined his combat skills, but unfortunately he was behind in his magic capability. With Draco's help he was able to unlock his fountain of power and now had several deadly attacks. He could summon a sword made of angel fire to smite any evil being in any world, but if the creature was pure the blade would pass right through them. Angel Fire Storm was a large scale attack that rained down angel fire from the heavens and could engulf all evil in a ten mile radius and burn everything to the ground leaving it scorched and ready for new growth. His last attack move was Righteous Bullets, which were angel fire balls that he could throw at his opponents, evil or not. Heavenly Healing is the first defensive power that would be bestowed upon him once he was soul bonded and the second was Heaven's Ultimate Barrier that was made of pure white light, impenetrable by anyone whom the caster deemed an enemy.

His bond to Lucy was equally important since she had agreed to being the Celestial Princess, protector of all. The bond would notify him if Lucy was in danger and teleport to her direct location, or he would be able to communicate telepathically with her. It was his responsibility to protect her from everyone that may wish to cause her harm. The thought of Lucy being harmed had immediately angry - she was his soul sister and was the most kind and beautiful person he had ever had the privilege of meeting. _If someone wants to harm my sister they better be ready deal with me!_

The Spirit King informed him that if Lucy was ever captured that he would be able to temporarily take over her spirits contract to help locate the princess. Zen had spent time with all of her spirits, but mostly the ten zodiac she was contracted with. He laughed a lot while he learned all about their quirks and perverseness, but his favorite spirit was Plue. The little dog spirit was too cute for words, had a major sweet tooth with an attitude to boot! Leo had refused to give the tiny spirit any candy and he went right up to Leo and kicked him in the shin, causing Leo to fall and Plue to take the candy from inside his pocket.

Draco had one more piece of news that he needed to share with Zen, but it was mostly to pass down to Lucy once he returned. He had listened to Draco as he explained the mating process Lucy would have to go through, since as a dragon queen it was vastly different than the other slayers. Zen had stood in awe as he explained that she couldn't mate until after all his keys were found due to the gift he would bestow on her and had blushed when informed of the actual mating process. He was Boscan and had seen a lot in the gladiator pits, but what he had been told and what he'd have to tell his sister had caused the mage to want to crawl into a hole and hide. _Lucy's going to be so embarrassed at first and then she's going to be angry, and based on what her guild mates said Scary Lucy is not to be trifled with. Why the fuck do I get saddled with telling her?_

* * *

Cristoff, Vander, and Presca were having one hell of a time locating this key that was stuck somewhere in an ice block on a peak of some mountain range. The first lead had lead them nowhere fast, the second lead had led them straight into a nest of snow wyverns, and the third lead had them facing off against a den of bluecaps - mischievous fairies that live is mines, caves, and other such places and appear as small blue floating flames that mess with a persons sense of balance. Not to mention he was literally freezing his balls of in this fucking cold ass weather and couldn't wait to be back home and in the sun. Presca and Cristoff were waiting for Vander to come back with new information, and this time it had better be a damn good lead.

"Why so blue boys? Did you miss be that much?"

"Cut the crap Van," glared Presca. "Did you find anything worthwhile? I'd like to leave so I might be able to feel my toes again this lifetime."

"Don't worry you're pretty little head. I found a lead that it super promising and we are already almost there, so how about you use some of that fire and light it under you ass so we can leave." Cristoff smirked at his brother. Presca and Vander had been the highlight of this trip with their constant banter, one would almost think they were Promised if not for the fact neither could think of one another in that way. They had worked together too long and on many dark jobs to see each other anything other than comrades.

"Well Van where are we off too?"

"The peak that is directly above us is said to have a hunk of ice that glows yellow with the power that is locked inside of it. No one has been able to get there since the winds are to strong to fly or climb, but who needs either when the shadows and moon touch that location?" Vander cockily smiled before grabbing Presca and taking off with Cristoff right on his tail. The iceberg looked like a giant beacon, but since it was so well hidden no one would ever know it existed. His eyes widened once he realized that there wasn't one, but three keys stuck in the block of ice. _What are the chances of that happening?_

"Does anyone else think that this is too easy and maybe a little too quiet?" voiced Presca while looking around the area. "I mean three Alpha keys just sitting in a block of ice unprotected just screams trap." No sooner had the words left his mouth the ground rumbled and out popped two Gashadokuro, giant skeletons fifteen times taller than the average human that are summoned from the bones of people who died in battle and were unable to be buried. They were usually summoned by a necromancer mage to eat the flesh of anyone whom attempted to steal what was being guarded.

"Fuck Presca! Way to jinx us you ass," yelled Vander as he dodged a large fist trying to smash him. Though the creatures were large they were quite agile and were keeping them away from the iceberg. One of them let out a scream that had Cristoff falling to the ground covering his dragon sensitive ears only to have the other skeleton kick him into the side of the mountain. Vander had pulled the screeching body of bones legs into the earth using his shadows, but the skeleton just broke its bones and then summoned them from the earth to reform its feet and legs.

"Son of a bitch! How the hell do we kill these things?" Presca shouted as he blocked fist that was hurtling it way towards him.

"We can't kill them, but maybe we can scatter their bones long enough to cut open the hunk of ice over there?" suggested Cristoff as he made his way back. "Van I'm going to use my roar to try to scatter their bones. Think you can open some voids and suck them in while Presca gets the keys from ice?"

"With fucking pleasure!" Cristoff let loose several lunar dragon roars that were strong enough to rip pieces of the bones off the skeletons while Vander created several void worm holes to suck them in. Presca was able to get to the heart of the ice and grabbed the three keys that were still slightly encased in the frozen water.

"Grab hold of me! I am going to moon jump us to the base of this damn mountain." The two mages quickly made their way to the lunar mage as he transported them to the bottom of the mountain.

"Not that I don't like being boned, but I would much rather get home and get lost in someone warm and fleshy," Vander's toothy grin was met with laughs as the mages made their way back to the airship to head home.


	11. Chapter 10

And we are back! Hope you all like this latest chapter as we start working towards Draco's appearance! Thanks for the continued support and please read and review.

* * *

Natsu was excited to be back in Magnolia with Xally, but he was even more excited to be off that damn plane. Thankfully Xally had used some of her healing magic on him to help curb his nausea from flying, but nothing felt better than being back on the ground. He had thoroughly enjoyed his time with Xally, but he was excited to get back to Magnolia, Fairy Tail and to see Lucy. He was pretty sure Happy was still away with the other two exceeds visiting their families, so once he was back then maybe the three of them could take a job. They still hadn't decided where to live and that was causing a bit of strain in their new relationship, since each person had so much going for them in their own homelands.

They had discussed the living situation with Farron and Freed since they were travelling to Magnolia as well. Freed had decided to stay in Pelerno with Farron and was ridiculously nervous to tell the Thunder Legion and Laxus about the change. Farron wasn't too worried about it since Laxus would have to go through this as well, but the main concern would be what the dragon slayers would do if Lucy stayed or moved somewhere other than Magnolia or Pelerno. Wherever Lucy moved too would more than likely be where the dragon slayers and their mates would be, which meant there would be a lot of Fairy Tail and White Sea mages moving with her. The family being spread out like that wasn't something that anyone was really wanting to do anyways.

For now the two couples were content on walking to the guild and couldn't wait to see everyone. Bickslow had called them while on the plane and had informed them what Lucy had told the guild and whom else knew the whole story, so no-one *cough* Natsu *cough* would say anything they shouldn't. The guild was quiet as they mages walked through the doors. There was only a small handful of guild mates sitting around the tables, so they walked up to Mira at the bar to see where everyone was.

"They're all at the pool outback. Too hot of a day to take missions and Lucy suggested it after three fights broke out before 10am. Something about how the pool might cool off the extra testosterone that seemed to accompany the heat." Mira smiled and everyone else laughed. "Lucy was expecting you so she asked me to give you your bathing suits when you arrived. She is currently out with errands, but said she'd be back to join the party before mid afternoon." The four mages made their way to the change rooms and Natsu told Xally where the women's was, since there were no coed spaces in Fiore.

Surprisingly the four mages were all out of the change rooms at the same time. Farron was wearing a dark blue swim shorts with a green lead pattern of the left leg, Freed was wearing an eggplant pair of swim shorts that had small lightning bolts all over, Natsu had short that looked like flames, and Xally was in an aquamarine two piece with small white hibiscus flowers printed on. The pool went quiet as everyone observed the group of mages.

"Hey Fairy Tail! We're back!" There was a round of cheers followed by Emzadi lifting her sister off the ground and hauling her over to the bar for a drink before going to catch up. Laxus, Gajeel, and Grey met with guys at the bar for some drinks, courtesy of Kinana, and sat down in the shallow side of the pool where Sting, Yukino, Levy, and Erza were with their kids.

"Damn Flame brain, never thought you's land yourself a mate let alone one who looks as good as her. Did you trick her into being your mate?" snickered Gajeel to the fire slayer.

"No more than you had to trick Levy into being yours bolts for brains!" retorted Natsu.

"Seriously though firetard, how does she put up with you and your childish personality?" sniggered Grey.

"You wanna go ice princess?" yelled Natsu while standing up with his fists covered in flames.

"Bring it on fire breath!" Like no time had passed the two best friends were at each others throats and ready to start another brawl, when they both froze and turned to see Erza standing behind them.

"I hope you two are not planning on fighting with the children in the pool." Erza leveled them with a hard gaze and they jumped away from each other and spouted a bunch of nonsense, which seemed to placate the requip mage. She turned her attention back on Violet whom was splashing water at Gale and Slate with Asuka cheering them on. The seven year old had grown and was now practicing her gun magic with her parents, and she had wicked accuracy, and was currently in a blue one piece bathing suit. They boys were enjoying Violet's splash challenge and everyone was giggling as water was being thrown in all directions. The parents contently watched as their enjoyed themselves in the pool for the first time, and were looking forward to more moments like this. Sting was smiling down at both his boys that were in arms as he was chest deep in the water, enjoying the coolness on such a hot day.

"Is Luce back yet?" Natsu had asked the group in hopes that someone had heard from the blonde celestial mage. It was getting later in the afternoon and no one had heard from her yet.

"I am sure Blondie just got caught up with something. Cobra went with her and I'm sure she'd contact Bix if there was something wrong, so just relax." Laxus tried to reassure the younger mage, but he was starting to get a bit worried himself.

* * *

Cristoff had never been so excited to be back at the guild. The three of them needed to debrief with Kaleb, but the guild master was gracious enough to let them shower and eat before meeting him in his office. The flight back had been full of turbulence which caused his motion sickness to kick into overdrive, but he managed to not upchuck the entire flight so that was a bonus. They had discussed the keys while flying since all three were still encased in their own chunks of ice and no matter what they had tried nothing would work on cracking them. They were hoping that the Boscan sun would melt the ice and then they could get the keys to Lucy.

It had been just over a month since he had last seen Lucy and he was yearning to hold her in his arms again and smell her strawberry vanilla scent. He also wanted to talk to her more about the mating, where they would live once they were mated, and how many kids she wanted to have. He personally wanted a large family with at least five kids that he could spoil, love, and enjoy making with his beautiful blonde bombshell.

The soothing waters of the Grass Sea he was currently emerged in helped with his aches, pains, and warmed his body due to the colder weather they faced in the mountains. He knew he had time to enjoy the water since Vander and Presca were probably enjoying an attendant or two, after all Vander did want something fleshy to play with when he got home. Cristoff wondered if Vander would ever settle down and if there was someone out there that would match his type of crazy. Maybe he'd have to ask Lucy if there was someone like that in Fairy Tail when he went to deliver the keys in a couple days. He had told Bickslow of his plan to surprise Lucy with a trip to Magnolia and made sure that Bickslow would have his back and pick up the three mages once the aircraft landed. His heavy eyes started to close as he took a short nap in the warm water before heading to Kaleb's office.

Even with Cristoff's nap he still beat Vander to the office and caught Presca's eye whom snorted at Cristoff's silents question. Obviously Vander had enjoyed his time, but Kaleb was a stickler to keeping to timelines so the shadowquip mage had three minutes to get his ass into the office before Kaleb would force him to. Kaleb looked at his clock lacrima for the fifth time before Vander came lounging into the room with a seriously happy look on his face.

"Vander I want you to report the mission to me, since you were late," smirked Kaleb as Vander rolled his eyes at the mindbender mage. He recounted everything they had run into, how the majority of the leads had led them astray, and the large skeletons that they had to fight. The keys were still encased in ice and not even the Boscan heat had been able to melt them, so hopefully Lucy would have something up her sleeve.

"I don't like that fact that a necromancer mage had set up a trap. That seems too planned and something we will have to look into more, especially if he can call upon such creatures." Kaleb looked thoughtful for a moment before a moment of clarity dawned on him. "The only necromancer mage that we had heard of was the demon Keyes from the dark guild Tartaros. You don't suppose that someone is looking at reviving demons again?" Several eyes widened at that thought and the room became quiet.

"But why? I mean the Tartaros guild was under Mard's orders then so he was able to control them to an extent and they were all Zeref worshipers and he's no longer in the picture. Who would have the power to do something like this?" Presca questioned the Pradesh brothers who all looked at each other perplexed.

"I think you and Vander are going to need to do some undercover work in the gladiator pits again. We need to know if this has anything to do with the Kings grand plan or not. I think we need to call Fairy Tail and keep them in the loop, because I feel like their guild may be in danger of a revenge plot." Kaleb picked up his com and dialed Erza - no answer. He tried Laxus, Bickslow, and Lucy with no response as well. Anxiety and worry were thick in the air as Kaleb tried calling Emzadi and Xally, but neither picked up. Kaleb was desperate now and called Farron's com.

"Kaleb?" came the haggered voice of Freed.

"Freed what's happening? I tried calling several of you, but no one answered." Kaleb asked, keeping the slight panic out of his voice.

"Honestly I am not sure. We were all heading in from the pool to have supper in the guild when Bickslow grabbed his head and started to scream. There was a large bang and the next thing I know I am pulling myself out of the rubble that used to be the guild to answer Farron's com." Freed said while looking around with large eyes.

"Where's everyone else at?"

"I don't know Kaleb. I just don't know." Freed said with tears in his eyes.

"I am rounding up several White Sea mages along with father and we will be in Magnolia within the hour Freed." Freed tried to speak but his com went dead. Kaleb yelled for Thane and several other mages while Cristoff was on the phone with Arman. _Please be safe Lucy._

* * *

Lucy and Cobra were heading from the guild to the city's magic shop after receiving a call from the owner, Mrs. Potts. The little old lady had called Lucy to let her know that she had a new key come into the shop and Lucy had been out the door before anyone could inquire as to what she was so happy about. Cobra had kissed Kinana, who was getting ready to head to the pool bar, and followed the ecstatic blonde through the streets of Magnolia. He loved the sound her soul made every time she had a prospective key or was contracting a new one. It was so full of love and light that it even had him openly smiling at his dragon queen, who had stopped to turn to see that she was being followed by him. She waited for him to catch up before looping her arm through his as the walked in relative silence.

Silence. That was something that didn't occur for him very often anymore, but Lucy was able to block out the noise when it was just the two of them and he had chopped it up to some random queen power, not that he had told anyone that it was happening. After talking with Bickslow he was going to ask Kaleb if he could train him to keep the voiced at bay, quiet, or something. The mindbender mage was incredibly powerful and after witnessing a minuscule amount of power while he was in Bosco he figured it wouldn't hurt to ask. The nights with Kinana were mostly quiet, unless he was making his purple haired mate scream his name - that noise he didn't mind one bit. However the bomb she had dropped on him this morning had him questioning everything.

"Erik are you alright?" Lucy inquired, gently pulling on his arm.

"Just thinkn Tink." Cobra responded with a side glance at her.

"Does it have anything to do with becoming a father?" Cobra stopped dead in his tracks causing Lucy to stop as well. His eye widened as he stared at her like she had grown eight heads.

"What . . . When . . . How the hell do you know? I just figured it out this morning after noticing her smell had changed ever so slightly." Cobra was still shocked at Lucy's revelation.

"I noticed about a week ago. I could just sense the change in her and went to meditate when Draco appeared confirming my suspicions. Apparently I one of the first to know when someone in the nest is pregnant so that I can prepare for it's arrival and make sure the woman carrying is safe." Lucy let out a sigh at another of her crazy dragon queen powers.

"Crazy is right Tink! Why did you just tell me?"

"And ruin the surprise of you and Kinana finding out for yourselves, yeah right," snorted Lucy as she rolled her eyes at the poison slayer. "Besides this reaction is so much better in person. Wonder what would happen in if I told . . ." she slapped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from saying anything else.

"Told who what Tink?" smirked the slayer as he tried to read her only to meet a brick wall and glared at the blonde before him. "Dammit! When the hell did you learn to block me out so efficiently?"

"After Draco told me the news I may have called Kaleb and asked about some pointers before training with Capricorn." She brightly told him, before continuing on her to the shop. Cobra grumbled to himself before following after her, again. The shop was only a few blocks away, hidden between a bakery and a book store. It had a very rustic feeling to it which was welcoming and upon entering the soothing smell of lavender made it's way to his sensitive nose, but it was an overpowering smell.

"Lucy my dear girl! I am glad you were able to make it to the store in such a quick amount of time!" The small white haired women, whom he assumed was Mrs. Potts, came around the counter she was behind to wrap Lucy in a hug.

"I wouldn't have missed this opportunity for the world!" Lucy excitedly told the older woman, whom laughed at the blonde.

"Well come over here my dear. It's a lovely silver key." Mrs. Potts opened the safe behind the counter and pulled out the silver key laid on a black velvet display.

"Oh Mavis! This is exactly who I have been hoping to find. Mrs. Potts you have no idea how much easier you have made my life!" Lucy was practically glowing as her brown orbs filled with tears. _Canes Venatici - the Hunting Dogs. They'll be able to help me track the Alpha Keys._ Cobra smirked listening to Lucy and knew that she would probably have a plan in place to find the rest of the keys before she went to bed. Cobra frowned as he starting picking up on a strong vibration coming from somewhere in the store. He followed it to a window display case and could almost feel how much the item was waiting to be found.

"Tink you should check this out," Cobra called to her as he kept an eye on it. He heard Lucy suck in a breath as she realized what he was staring at.

"Mrs. Potts when did this come in?" Lucy asked pointing to the bronze colored item.

"That old key? It came in a couple days ago from a couple who had been going through their deceased grandmothers items. I bought quite a few items that day, why?"

"Nodus Secundus - also know as Altais, the bright yellow star," whispered Lucy in awe, but Cobra caught it thanks to his dragon hearing. "We will take this one too please Mrs. Potts." The woman smiled and added it to the silver key, rang Lucy's bill up and then waived to the mages as the went out the door. Lucy quickly requipped Altais' key and started on her way to a park that wasn't far from their current location. She wanted a little bit of privacy to contract her new spirit, plus she didn't know if the spirits were people or actual dogs and if they were K-9's what size they would be. Lucy didn't bother to see if Cobra was following her, because she could just sense that he was there.

"Open Gate of the Hunting Dogs, Canes Venatici!" Two very large dogs appeared in front of Lucy. One was black with brown, slightly taller build and the other was brown with black, both had long shaggy fur, and were the size of leonbergers.

"Asterion it's her! The Celestial Princess actually holds our key!" The smaller, younger dog spoke before running up to Lucy to plant a big sloppy kiss on her cheek. Lucy just laughed as she wiped the slobber off with the back of her hand.

"Chara would you please behave yourself," chastised the older of the two dogs. "I am sorry Princess for his exuberant personality, but we are both very excited about to know that you now hold our key."

"If you are willing to make a contract with me I would like to know when you are available and what your abilities are please." Lucy couldn't help the grin that was plastered to her face. She loved meeting new spirits and adding them to her growing family.

"Of course we will contract ourselves to you. We are expert hunters and it doesn't matter what we are looking for we will find them. We can imprint around 50 different people in our repertoire before we have to re-catalog to make room for new scents," explained Asterion to his new master.

"We are available any day except for Sunday, since that is the typical day of rest for most hunters. We work miracles with Orion if you happen across his bronze key," Chara said while wagging his tail and rubbing his head against Lucy's thigh.

"I didn't think there were any other keys besides gold and silver though," stated Lucy with a puzzled look on her face.

"The bronze keys get to choose who their master are, so most have been contracted in centuries since they're a bit snobby and haven't found anyone worth their time," snorted Chara causing Lucy to giggle and Cobra to snicker.

"Well thank you for deciding to become my friends. You should head back now and say hi to everyone in the celestial world, since I am sure it's been a while since you have seen may of them."

"Thank you Princess. We look forward to working with you in the future," Asterion stated before the two dogs returned to the spirit world.

"So there's a third category of keys, eh?" Cobra wondered out loud. He had always been curious of there were more keys out there after Angel had acquired her angel keys.

"Well now to my knowledge there are five categories of keys; Gold, Bronze, Silver, Angel, and Hell keys. Sorano is the only mage I know who uses angel keys and I have never heard of anyone using the hell keys or even if they're real, but I think it's safe to assume that they're out there." Lucy surmised after hearing about the bronze keys.

"How about we head back to the guild and see how that pool party is going? Mira should almost have the food ready by the time we return." It was hard to believe that Lucy and Cobra had been wandering around Magnolia for that long, but time flies when you're following the queen. They walked in comfortable silence for the majority of the way back to the guild and were just starting to see the guild come into sight when Lucy stopped and frowned.

"Tink?" He knew that look and he generally never liked what came after it.

"I just . . . just felt this overflowing amount of anger rush through me. If I were to sum it up it felt like molten lava sparking through my veins."

"Natsu is probably picking a fight with Laxus again," Cobra said with a shrug of his shoulders. "That isn't anything new, especially since the flaming idiot hasn't seen Laxus in a month."

"Erik it's not that. It's more . . . distressed . . . maybe anxious is the right word. Whatever it is I would like to make sure everyone is alright. Leo!" Lucy called her faithful lion knowing he would help ease her mind.

"You called beautiful?" smiled Loke as he pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose.

"Can you head to the guild to make sure everyone is alright and that the children are safe? I don't like this feeling that I have in the pit of my stomach." Lucy said while she used her right hand to rub her left arm.

"Of course Lucy. I will check everything out and return to your side shortly." With that Leo left in a puff of gold. Cobra was listening in to his surroundings a little bit closer to see if he could pick up on anything, but it was quiet. Too quiet actually. He couldn't hear birds chirping, the sound of the leaves rustling, or people walking through the street, so he immediately pulled Lucy behind him.

"I can't hear anything."

"Erik?"

"Nothing Tink. No wind or birds. Hell we are this close to the guild and I can't hear any brawls." Cobra felt her grab onto the back of his jacket. "Someone is using magic to either distort sounds or this is a mirage." Clap. Clap. Clap.

"Well done. It's been a while since someone has been able to pick up on my illusion magic so quickly." A tall man with slicked back dark red hair said as he came around a corner. He was wearing black combat boots, tight black jeans, dark green t-shirt with a grey jean vest and a silver chain. His pale beady eyes were looking at Lucy, as he licked his lips, which made Lucy shiver.

"Who the hell are you and what the fuck do you want?" growled Cobra to the stranger.

"My name is Tobit," he said while dramatically bowing to the duo. "My colleagues and I have come to kidnap Lucy Heartfilia and destroy Fairy Tail."

"Why? You know we will just come back ten fold and kick your ass?" demanded Lucy as she pulled away from Cobra.

"The fairy does have a backbone after all. We've been ordered by our Master, so we shall do his bidding. I don't know the exact plans, but I do know that Fairy Tail's downfall starts with getting rid of it's light," he cackled maniacally. This guy was giving off some major creeper vibes, but nothing could have prepared them for the earth shaking blast and rising smoke from the guild direction. Cobra took a defensive stance while Lucy requiped her whip, calling forth Taurus.

"Guild down boss. Judgin by da looks of thangs we got a few of dem." The voice came from a floating orb that materialized into a bald man with snow white skin, red eyes and dressed only in a pair of torn knee length black shorts.

"Good job Jaccard. Gather up the others and then come back to pick the girls and myself up in five," ordered Tobit, as Jaccard transformed into a white ball and disappeared. "Now you can come with me on your own accord or we can do this the difficult way, and I can assure you that neither of you will get out unscathed."

"Fuck you! No way are you getting through me." The night sky suddenly loomed over them as a large rock dragon flew overhead and landed before Cobra. "No way in hell! We sent this guy packing years ago." The dragon he fought during the eclipse gate fiasco was glaring down at him.

"Don't you like my gift to you slayer? Won't it be nice to watch him go after your precious mate?" sneered the mage. Cobra launched himself at the large creature and started fighting him with everything he had. "I await your answer princess."

"I will never go willingly with scum such as you!" Lucy shouted to the man as she cracked her whip against his cheek. Tobit brought his hand to his cheek then looked down at it to see a smear of blood on his fingertips.

"Fine! Have it your way!" Tobit yelled at the celestial mage as he launched a ball of ice her way, which Lucy easily dodged.

"How did you manage to bring a dragon back? That shouldn't be possible," Lucy asked while letting her whip fly at Tobit's leg landing another solid hit.

"I am a talented mage Miss Heartfilia and something as simple as a dragon doesn't require much," his lips curled into a cocky smirk and Lucy had the urge to punch it right off his face. They both continued to dance around each other, so she stepped it up and called Sagittarius into the battle and kept an eye on Erik who didn't seem to be getting very far with the dragon. It still irked her that a dragon was here, but she couldn't figure out why. Her distraction had cost her a rather nasty gash to her left arm from a particularly sharp piece of ice that her master archer wasn't able to get in time. She watch as here enemy changed his ice spheres into flat, sharp blades and started rapid firing them at her. Lucy stardressed into her Aries form and threw up a bright pink wool wall to stop this torrent of ice blades and called out Asterion and Chara.

"Can you guys pick up the scent of the dragon that is fighting Cobra?" Lucy asked while wrapping wool around the mages hands, stopping his attacks.

"There is no smell Princess," Asterion told his key holder.

"Nothing but the smell of magic," chimed in Chara.

"Thank you! You can head back now." The dogs headed back to the spiritual world along with the archer after getting hit with a large ice blade, so Lucy called out Virgo and Capricorn.

"Keep him busy! I need to reach Erik." Lucy took off towards the poison slayer as fast as her legs would carry her. Erik had minor cuts along his arms, but otherwise he was physically fine just tired. "You need to stop Erik! Please! It's only an illusion!" Her screams fell on deaf ears as he continued to attack the rock dragon and she growled in frustration. _Wait a minute! I'm THE Dragon Queen, which means I can get Erik's ass in line just like I did with Gale and Slate! I doubt a growl is going to work on his though . . . but maybe a direct command?_

"Erik you are to stop fighting that dragon and return to my side immediately," she yelled at the slayer who had jumped into the sky to try an aerial dragon roar, but nothing happened. _Damn . . ._ _Maybe I need to play on his dragon soul reading ability instead of his dragon sense of hearing? It's worth a shot!_ Lucy closed her eyes and concentrated solely on Erik and could see the red and black color of his magic. _Erik! Erik you are to stop fighting the illusion and return to my side right now._ Erik stopped mid attack and looked at the blonde mage before landing right in front of her.

"It's an illusion?" he questioned.

"The hunting dogs confirmed my suspicions and honestly he did state that you had broke his other illusion earlier when you heard no noise," shrugged Lucy.

"Miss Lucy we have company!" yelled Capricorn over his shoulder as he was fighting two mages now. Jaccard had returned with the other mages once Tobit's time allowance was up and came to assist their leader.

"We don't have time for this!" screamed a frustrated Tobit. "I want that blonde bitch captured now! I don't care what it takes as long as she is alive!" His lackeys jumped into action at his demands. Tobit was firing attacks at the two spirits, three other wizards were attacking Cobra, and the remaining two were ganging up on Lucy who had stardressed into Taurus. Cobra was getting knocked around, but holding his own against the mages and their water, wind, and rock attacks. Lucy was struggling against a gravity whom had pressured the area around her so much that her body felt like lead, but screamed when the other mages's vines started to bite into her skin from its tiny barbs.

"LUCY!" Cobra was frantically trying to make his way over to her when he felt the rock mages attack coming from behind, hitting him in the back of his head. The last thing he saw was Jaccard sucking Lucy into his weird orb with the rest of his vile team _Lucy . . ._


	12. Chapter 11

This is a shorter chapter, but it may pull at your heartstrings a bit. I will try to update again soon, so let me know your thoughts and suggestions for anything you might like to see down the road. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Bickslow currently knew two things. One - was that the guild had been under a hellish attack. Two - his entire body felt like a train fuckin nailed him. He called his babies forth and slowly all five of them came out from the rubble that was formerly their guild. Bickslow dragged his ass out of the hole he was currently in with the help of his babies and flew up to get a birds eye view of everything. The guild had been utterly obliterated! He clenched his fists and continued to survey from above and located Freed who was talking on a lacrima, Laxus was helping Emzadi and Kinana out of the rock mess, and Mira was standing before several large white cloths on the ground. Bickslow felt his heart freeze realizing they had lost some of his fellow mages and went flew down to see if Mira needed help. He sent his babies to go through the wreckage to see if anyone needed help and to call him the moment they did.

Bickslow put a hand gently on Mira's shoulder whom instantly curled herself in on the seith mage, holding her while she let all of her emotions loose in the form of tears. Laxus, Emzadi, Kinana, Natsu, Xally, Alzack, Bisca, Freed, and Makarov were the first mages to meet up with him and Mira. Everyone had a grim look on their faces, were covered in ripped clothes and a layer of dirt covering bloodied skin. _None of the gashes look life threatening, thank Mavis._ Mira pulled away and gave him a watery smile in thanks before looking at the mages were surrounding them.

"Mira do you know who were away on jobs?" Bickslow asked, trying to get a head count.

"Gildarts and Cana, Romeo and Macao, the former Oracien Seis with Jellal, and Mest," Mira recounted slowly. "I am pretty sure that is everyone."

"Who have we lost Mira?" Laxus said looking at the three white sheet covered bodies.

"Vijeeter, Nab, and Droy," Mira solemnly told the group while trying to hold back tears. Bickslow felt a tug on his magic and began to walk over to where he was feeling in coming from. One of his totems popped up from the ground and became to glow green to anyone's attention to say that he had found someone.

"Poppo what have you found?" He waited for the totem to respond as everyone else gathered around him.

"Metal head and others," Poppo stated, which spurred everyone into action. Xally went to set up a station where she could heal injured mages, while the three dragon slayers started to lift rock off of where Poppo was floating around.

"I've can see four souls down there," Bickslow called to the group. Makarov used his giant magic to try to stabilize the outer area from collapsing onto the group that was still trapped. The ground started to rumble, magic energy gathered and everyone backed up as a stream of reddish-orange light shot straight up. Once the light died down the group peering into the hole to see a steel box with a hole in the top. The hole expanded so that the top of the box was open and there stood Gajeel, Levy, Rogue, and Yukino and they waved up to their guild mates. Gajeel created stairs for everyone to walk up from the debris and each mage was met with a round of hugs.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Two more of Bickslow's babies started glowing green and doing flips to get attention.

"Papa! Pepe! What have you found?"

"Master and beast found," Papa excitedly stated. Half the team went to start helping that group from being trapped under rock and steel.

"Wood mage! Wood mage!" shouted Pepe, as the other group worked diligently to uncover more Fairy Tail member.

"I have four people in one are and three in the other area!" Bickslow shouted while his eyes were glowing green. Levy was leaning against Yukino while Xally tended to their wounds, Laxus, Emzadi, and Rogue were busy with the trying to dig out Papa's group while Gajeel, Natsu, and Alzack were working on the area Pepe was at.

"Over here Daddy," cried Pupu. "I found more."

"We have another mages here

"We'll be over to help once we get Erza, Elfman, Max, and Ever out of her," called Laxus over his shoulder.

"We've got Laki, Wakaba, and Lisanna here!" yelled Natsu to the group as he was helping them one by one out of the hole. The seven mages made their way to Xally to be cleared before heading out to help anyone else.

"More here! More here!" Pepe called to Bickslow as the totem flew up from the cracks. "Careful. Not stable!"

"Laxus! Natsu! Em!" called the familiar voices from the White Sea guild. Kaleb waived while running in their direction followed by Cristoff, Vander, Presca, Thane, Arman and several other mages that Bickslow couldn't remember the names of right now.

"What do you need help with?" Kaleb seriously asked.

"Have any mages that can stabilize were Pepe is flying?" Bickslow pointed over to said totem. "He's saying the ground isn't stable there and two people are trapped down there."

"Baron I need you to reach into the ground and stabilize everything with your earth magic, so that we can remove rubble," ordered Kaleb. "Vander use your shadow to reinforce Baron. Cristoff go help Xally heal anyone whom may need it. Presca and Thane go in groups of two around the perimeter to see if anyone is lingering from the attack. How many mages are still unaccounted for?"

"At least half a dozen," Mira answered Kaleb.

"I need specifics."

"Grey, Juvia, Sting, Wendy, Jet, Warren, Reedus, Farron, Lucy, and Cobra," Mira counted on her fingers to make sure she had gotten everyone. "The babies! Mavis, where are all of the children? That'll be another six." Everyone paled at the thought of the children being under all the rubble and panic took over Levy, Yukino, and Bisca causing Cristoff to put them to sleep so they didn't injure themselves. Erza was laying on a cot with a piece of wood protruding from her thigh and had already passed out due to blood loss with the only other serious injury being Max's broken arm.

"Master we've got it stabilized and are pulling the two mages out," Baron called to Kaleb as they removed the rest of the rock from the top access point.

"It's Grey and Jet!" Laki told the group as the two mages slowly made their way out thanks to Gajeel creating more stairs. Grey supported Jet who was bleeding from a nasty gash on the side of his head and helped him over to temporary medical station.

"Bickslow where's your fifth totem?" Arman asked while scanning the area. Bickslow's eyes glowed green and he sent out a pulse of magic scanning for Pipi's familiar soul.

"She's down deep, too deep for me to find," Bickslow was desperately trying to find his totem and the last of their missing friends. "Kaleb can you call out to her by linking out minds?" Kaleb nodded as he shared mind space with Bickslow. _Pipi? Can you hear me? I am here with Bickslow and we are trying to find you."_ Kaleb waited for a minute. _Daddy ok?_ Came the small voice of the totem. _Yes, but he's worried about you since he can't see you. Can you create a brighter beacon so he can find you?"_ The two mages held their breath and hoped the totem would respond.

"Got her!" exclaimed Bickslow suddenly. "She's at least thirty feet down, so they must have fallen below the basement in the guild. I can't tell you how many people are trapped there though." Everyone banded together using their magic and brawn to recover their remaining family members. It took a solid hour to make progress to where they could feel a magic signature.

"It's Wendy's magic," Natsu said while sniffing above the whole.

"How is half pint using her magic so far underground?" Gajeel asked perplexed by that thought.

"We'll get everyone's stories once they are out." Laxus said leaving no room for arguing.

"Wendy if you can hear me we have everything cleared out, so if you have a way to blast through the top layer of dirt with everyone pulse your magic twice and we'll stand clear," Natsu yelled into the hole and immediately there were two pulses of magic and everyone cleared the area. Out shot a pale pink sphere that was surrounded in rapidly moving air currents and as they got closer to the ground the orb became more translucent. Once Wendy touched the ground her magic dispelled and there was Farron holding Juvia as blood dripped from the from one of the two mages and Sting was supporting Reedus on one side who looked to have a broken leg and Warren on the other side with a piece of metal through his shoulder. Everyone helped bring the injured mages to the medical bay, as Porlyusica arrived to help however she could.

"Half pint," Gajeel cautiously approached the blue haired slayer who was still in her dragon force. "You got them all here safe and need to calm down now." He released some growl like purrs to the bluenette who blinked at him a couple times before releasing her dragon force and teetered forward into her kin's arms.

"Can you guys start to recount what happened?" Kaleb asked the mages who were healed and not too tired to explain.

"We were all in the guild hall getting ready to eat when the next thing I know the building is collapsing around us and explosions were happening," Freed recounted as almost everyone nodded their heads in agreement. "Next thing I know is that a com is ringing, so I pulled myself out of the rubble to answer it and it was Kaleb."

"Natsu and myself along with several other mages weren't in the immediate area, so we were pretty close to the surface and were able to dig ourselves out," Xally said while working on Reedus' leg.

"Elfman used on of his beast takeover magic and was able to encompass us for the brunt of the attack," Evergreen said while resting her head on the large man's chest.

"I encased whoever was close to us in a steel box and Levy used her solid script magic to laser us out of the rock." Gajeel was holding Levy's hand and staring at her face while he spoke.

"I used my wood magic to create a blockade around the three of us," offered Laki who was standing next to Max and his newly healed arm.

"Grey sealed the two of us in an iceberg until help was able to arrive," Jet supplied while Grey was caressing his wife's face and waiting for Cristoff to finish healing her.

"Wendy was truly amazing," Farron said in awe standing between Freed and Farron. "She used her air magic to bring all of us together and then formed a sphere of hurricane force winds enclosing us within it. The speed the wind was travelling at was a force to be reckoned with and may be part of the reason we were in the ground so far. I think the sheer power behind it actually eroded the soil so we fell much deeper." All eyes turned to Wendy who was curled up in Natsu's arms and peacefully resting.

"Where are Lucy and Cobra?" Vander asked looking over the crowd of mages. Laxus and Natsu exchanged a look.

"We don't know. They weren't in the guild when all of this happened," sighed a defeated looking Laxus, so Emzadi wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him in for a comforting hug. Cristoff glared at the ground while he tried to concentrate on Juvia's wounds.

"If nothing had happened to them I know they would have been here to help us with everything," Natsu said while gesturing to what was once the guild. "I just don't understand why this is happening."

"We have part of a theory," supplied Vander who looked over to Kaleb and gave him the go ahead. "Cristoff, Presca, and myself were hunting down a lead for an Alpha key, which we ended up finding three in a ice berg that doesn't melt I might add. Giant fuckin skeletons were out welcoming party and the only mage that can summon them is someone with necromancer powers." Grey inhaled sharply and stared at the shadowquip mage.

"Keyes is dead! Juvia destroyed that demon when we fought Tartaros," Grey angrily yelled to no one in particular. The fact that he had revived his deceased father still made him angry to this day.

"We think that there is another necromancer out there or someone is trying playing with dark magic and trying to revive the demon guild," Kaleb stated to the group who looked no happier than he was at the news. "Whatever is happening it's obvious they are after, or are in need of, Lucy." Everyone was quiet for a bit before the sound of chimes was being heard and a spirit opened it's own gate.

"Libra, what are you doing here? I didn't think you could open your own gate?" he look at a still slumbering Yukino then back to the spirit.

"I am here per the Spirit King's request. I am to inform you that Leo secured all of the children and they are safe in the Celestial world, as per Lucy's request." There was a collective sigh of relief from every mage in the vicinity. "Cobra is injured somewhere in the streets of Magnolia and Lucy has been captured, but we don't know by who or where they are being held. Her spirits are unable to locate her, which bodes ill. That is all I have for you right now and if I know more I will let Yukino know." Libra bowed and returned to her own realm.

"Are there only three dead? We aren't missing anyone?" Arman asked and everyone agreed that everyone was accounted for.

"Not quite everyone," Cristoff gravely said while looking directly at Grey. The ice mage looked at the lunar slayers eyes, then down to Juvia who was still breathing slow, shallow breaths. "I am sorry to have to tell you this Grey, but it seems that Juvia took a rather hard hit to her abdomen before Wendy was able to secure her."

"Wh . . . What are you saying," Grey stuttered are tears already started to gather in his eyes.

"I'm sorry Grey, but we lost your child."

* * *

Lucy blinked a couple of times, trying to make the fuzziness in her vision disappear. The moment she tried to sit up she immediately regretted it, groaning as her body was super sore. She took a deep breath to take a look at her surroundings to find that she was in a stone walled cell and the only source of light was from a tiny window eight feet above her. Lucy let out a frustrated sigh to find her wrists were in magic cancelling cuffs and a collar of some kind around her neck, but she at least had a small dry cot with a decent enough blanket. She looked down at her body to that she was covered in bruises from that vile man's whip and she had open wounds on the bare skin of arms and legs. _Just once I would like to NOT be kidnapped or be part of some evil fuckin plan!_

"Looks like Sleeping Beauty has woken from her slumber," came the sickening voice of Tobit as part of the stone wall became transparent. "I was beginning to worry that the boys had too much fun bringing you in line yesterday." Lucy glared at the illusion mage as he rambled on. "Our Master is going to be so excited to know that we completed our mission and the mage that requested this mission will be most pleased."

"What mage?"

"There's no fun in giving away our plans," he said while waiving his index finger in a no manner at her.

"Can you at least tell me what this stupid collar is for then?" huffed Lucy as she fingered the metal around her neck.

"It hides your location from your spirits and and mind bender mages attempting to locate you," he smirked as Lucy's glare intensified. "If our Master wants to elaborate more as to her plans then she'll come find you. However I would like you to meet your new cellmate for the remainder of your days." The wall shimmered as they threw an unconscious woman into the cell and Lucy leaped forward to stop her from impacting on the hard cold floor. Lucy checked for a pulse, sighing as she found that it was strong before focusing back on the two men before her.

"I'd like to introduce you to Zorn, the gravity mage you had the privileged of meeting yesterday." Zorn was a short mage with beady eyes and a sharply pointed nose that looked liked he hadn't bathed in a month.

"Boss wants us topside for a briefing," Zorn's nasally voice stated as he turned and started to walk away.

"Wait!" Tobit cocked his head to the side, waiting for her to continue. "Can you tell me where I am?"

"You my dear girl are in Caelum. In the capital of Rema to be exact." Lucy inhaled sharply watching Tobin cackled as he faded from her view and the stone wall returned. Lucy hauled the woman onto her now shared cot and studied her appearance. Her hair reached her waist and was the darkest brown she had ever witnessed, but within the brown there were slight hunter green highlights every so often. She looked to be as tall as Lucy was with sun kissed skin that Lucy was instantly jealous of, but felt better seeing that her rack wasn't near as big as hers. _It's not as small as Levy's though . . . . Mavis I am being so vain right now._ Her ripped tank shop and shorts showed off her well toned body and a large scar across her left thigh. Lucy sighed for the umpteenth time before she decided to cuddle with the her cotmate to share her body's warmth and the blanket they had. _What have I gotten myself into this time?_

* * *

Tobit sat at the table waiting with his team waiting for the Master of the Black Shaman guild to arrive. His team had executed her plan perfectly and couldn't help be proud of what they had accomplished. Zorn, Stav, and Chara had taken down the guild with their impressive combination of gravity, wind, and water magics plus one or two well placed bombs. He was a little concerned that Master would be pissed at how damaged Lucy became from Chiaro's vines, but dismissed the idea since she was still in one piece. The doors opened to reveal their Master and they all stood to acknowledge her presence.

"Master Madara," team Dark Magma said while bowing slightly to her. Once she was seated at the head of the table his men followed suit and patiently waited for her to begin.

"As you are well aware of we have now completed stage two of the plan," her calm voice floated across the small room. "Today we debrief and tomorrow you will begin stage three. You will round up the woman who has paid handsomely for the celestial mage, while keeping an ear out for any word of the Pradesh whom escaped King Karadin. He has issued a mission to all dark guilds with a reward of fifty million jewel to one that can bring him in alive and relatively unharmed. There is also a request out from Joya for any of the male dragon slayers, apparently the Warqueen has some kinds of plans for those men especially Cristoff."

"Sorry to intrude Master, but what was stage one of the plan?" inquired a confused Chiaro.

"I needed to test the strength of the mages, so I captured their seith mage to see what we were up against," the purple eyed woman smiled brightly. "Imagine my surprise to find Lucy Heartfilia among the rescue group, plus the information the woman who wants her has told me is pure gold!"

"So do you not plan on giving the celestial mage to the client?" Chara asked.

"She plans to kill that brat, but I need her alive if we are to reap all the rewards," the conniving smile Madara gave the men sent shivers down her spine as she pointedly looked at Tobin. "She's going to think that she has gotten her revenge and killed her and when we tell the two guilds they will come here to avenge her and we can capture everyone. Once you have brought that wretched woman here to kill the illusion we will talk about stage four." The mages all nodded their heads in agreement before heading out to do their Master's bidding.

Madara went to the bookshelf and passed through the ruins that were protecting the false wall and descended down a the spiral stairs to where one lone door stood. A red glow leaked through the cracks of the door before she used her magic on the lacrima to open it and she walked into the tiny room. In the middle stood a small pillar with a wooden chest lined with pillows and above it was a heat lamp. She ran her hand over the smooth, white, glass like surface and hummed in appreciation at her latest acquirement, that she had to kill a everyone at the temple that was protecting it to have it in her very hands.

"With this dragon egg I will rule everything and Lucy Heartfilia is the key to it all."


	13. Chapter 12

Sorry for the wait on the next chapter. With this awesome warm weather in Alberta I have been working in my flower beds after work. Hope you all enjoy this chapter and continue to leave your amazing comments!

* * *

Zen was staring at the wreck that was once the mighty Fairy Tail guild and looking around at the solemn people that seemed to hover around. Draco had sent him back after stating that there was a disturbance with the Celestial world and that he needed to look into it more while Zen checked in with Lucy's team about her whereabouts. He was not prepared for this though, you could taste the despair and anger in the air. He was looking for Kaleb and hoping he would be able to help everyone out of this slump that had currently taken over. He found his family trying to contain the dragon slayers, minus Cristoff who was sitting at the med bay blankly watching the scene. _What would Lucy do if she was here and her family was this distraught?_

"That is enough!" Zen's commanding voice traveled across the area. "I know I have been gone and have missed a lot, but we need to pull our heads out of our asses and form a plan to get her back. We need to get everyone to a safe place, so why don't the injured, mothers, and children head back with Dad to the embassy. Mages who aren't S Class or higher can report to the White Sea guild, dragon slayers and S Class rank or higher can stay here and we can formulate a plan. And can someone explain what the fuck I walked into?" That earned a laugh from some of the mages.

"Come on bro," Vander said swinging an arm around Zen's shoulders and leading him away from everyone else. "I will fill you in, but you're not allowed to injury me. I'm just the messenger boy."

"Farron help me load the injured onto Dad's jet and Yukino can you ask one of your spirits to bring all the kids on board too? I think everyone will want the comfort and to say their goodbyes." Kaleb assisted Reedus to the jet and Yukino called out Libra to ask her to bring all of the kids back. Laxus, Bickslow, and Elfman had left to bring caskets for their fallen comrades, since they wouldn't get a proper funeral until all of this was finished, but wanted to make sure they did give them some kind of a send off. A huge wave of magical power could be felt before a stream of light shot into the clouds.

"Well I take it that shadow boy told angel boy about what has happened," Gajeel muttered aloud and everyone relaxed slightly knowing they weren't under attack again. "Hey where are flame brain and half pint at?"

"They went to search for Cobra," Emzadi replied while helping Jet stand and orientate himself since the bandage around his head covered one eye. "Something about Lucy having his balls if she found out they left the poison slayer behind."

"Pretty sure his balls are securely hidden in Xally's clutch," snickered Vander as he came back alone.

"Plus if she wants to be an aunt in the near future those items are kind of important," laughed Xally as well as everyone else. "Where is Zen at?"

"He took off to the skies to clear his head. He feels bad that he was in the spirit world while Lucy was getting kidnapped. I tried to tell him that he can play hero later since this apparently happens to her a lot." Vander shrugged, but he could feel the mood lighten. "Now that most of us are at the jet have we decided the plan?"

"I have recalled all active teams from their missions. Gildarts, Cana, Jellal, and the Oracien Seis will all be in Magnolia by nightfall while Romeo and Macao will be heading to Pelerno to meet up with Arman and the members of the guild whom are not joining us on this mission." Erza stated to all of the mages. "Now we need to decided who stays and who goes."

"You're not leaving any of us behind, not when our Queen is in danger." Cristoff had shaken himself out of his stupor and joined the conversation. "I won't rest until my mate is back in my arms."

"We'll need someone to keep an ear out in the shadows," Vander smiled while clapping a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"And someone to watch the skies." Zen landed on the ground and his wings collapsed back into the tattoos that adorned the entirety of his back.

"You're going to want to know about the mages that took Tink, so there's no way you're leaving my ass here or in Pelerno." Cobra was limping with assistance from Natsu and Wendy was healing the remainder of his injuries, so Cristoff went over to help speed up the process.

"So which Fairy Tail wizards are going to get Luce?" Natsu asked with a pointed look at Erza.

"Gildarts, Cana, Jellal, the Oracien Seis, all the dragon slayers, Bicklsow, Freed, Mira, Grey, and myself will be teaming up with whomever Kaleb has selected from his guild."

"My siblings, minus Xally since I need an experienced healer at home, and Thane will be whom will be accompanying us. Should we run into trouble Thane will teleport back to the guild and bring back up, however I am confident that our task force will be more than able to defeat this enemy." Kaleb smiled at Erza who gave him a confident smile back. "Now lets get everyone settled and they can take off. Dad make sure you update us on your progress back to Pelerno and keep a lacrima on you at all times." Arman smiled at his son before pulling him into a hug to say goodbye before doing the same with the rest of his children.

"You bring my future daughter-in-law home safe and make sure those whom have taken her receive their just rewards." Everyone else said their goodbyes to their families and watched as the the aircraft was lost amongst the clouds.

"Kaleb can you patch me in to everyone and I will go over what happened to Tink and I?" Cobra asked the mindbender mage who gladly accepted. He showed them everything from the time that he realized there was no sound up until he lost consciousness. The Fairy Tail wizards tensed up when they all saw the dragon fight with him, but relaxed realizing it was an illusion.

"We have some pretty strong mages in that small group. Their leader is an illusionist and has decent ice powers, there's a creepy ass teleporter, water and rock mages that I was up against, and then the gravity and vine mage that attacked Tink." Cobra recalled as he was going through some of the items that he heard from them. "They call themselves Dark Magma and are part of a dark guild called Black Shaman. I didn't get a name of their leader, but the water mage kept saying how her purple eyes creeped him out."

"No fucking way!" Laxus suddenly shouted. "The bitch who kidnapped Bix is the one behind all of this?"

"She did escape, but even I am having a hard time believing she could orchestrate something like this. She just didn't seem that formidable." Freed pondered a bit before his eyes lit up. "I knew it was too easy to rescue Bickslow! She must have been testing us to gather intel on our magic types. Granted that doesn't tell us where Lucy is at."

"If her spirits aren't coming out then it's safe to say she has magic cancelling cuffs on too, so she'll be damn near impossible to find especially if they have a teleportation mage as well." Grey huffed crossing his arms over his now naked chest. "Too bad we have no way of calling her or tracking her magic."

"Bix your link!"

"Cobra you are a genius!" Anyone who wasn't in Pelerno was left very confused and staring at the duo. "Lucy has this ability to create a celestial meld, which is a link that connects our very souls to one another. Zen also has the link as her protector."

"But won't the cuffs cancel out the link too?" Wendy blushed when everyone focused on her. "I mean, it's still magic at it's essence right?"

"While that may be true, if what these two are saying is correct then this link may be enough to at least make contact with her, even if it's no more than a few seconds. We don't have anything to lose." Kaleb looked to his brothers with a hopeful smile.

"We will wait until the rest of the team arrives tonight before we try, and in the mean time let us give our fallen wizards a moment of our time and give them a small farewell." Erza looked at the three caskets and raised her right hand into the air with her index finger and thumb proudly displayed. "Even though we can no longer see you, always know that you are with us." The rest of the mages raised their hands too, some thoughts went to their lost companions, the battle ahead of them, restoring their guild, or rescuing Lucy but the one thing on everyone's mind was that their revenge would be swift and just.

* * *

Lucy had a small nap and was currently using the washcloth and basin of water they provided her to wash down the girl that was still passed out on the cot. She had yet to wake up and Lucy was hoping there wasn't something more seriously wrong with her. Sighing she set to work on cleaning her legs since she had already done her torso and arms. She was cleaning her ankle when she noticed a wave of magic wash over her and her ankle glowed in recognition with her own zodiac tattoos. There were eight small white markings on her skin which looked like the constellation of Scutum the Shield. _Why would this woman have a constellation imprinted into her skin? I wonder is she knows more about what's going on here._

Once Lucy had finished cleaning her cellmate she set to cleaning herself off some since she wasn't sure when they'd be sending another basin of water in for the two of them. She felt a little better knowing that she was a little bit cleaner than before, but now she had to figure out how she was going to escape or send a signal to her spirits or family.

"Hey cutie. How's it going today?" Lucy looked up to see Tobit there with a couple of his goonies.

"What do you want now?"

"Chiaro, Zorn, and myself are here to take you on a small tour. You're very important to my master's plan and we need your help in replicating you." Tobit admitted to the blonde mage. "In order for me to create the perfect illusion I need to study my target and unfortunately I'm going to need you to scream." The look on the other two mages faces made Lucy slightly shiver in fear.

"What use could I possibly be to your master?"

"Master says you'll bring in lots of money with the prize she has claimed." Chiaro excitedly stated bouncing on the balls of his feet before being silenced by a glare from his leader.

"Zorn please help Miss Heartfilia out of her cell and bring her to block C5. Chiaro and I will be waiting with bells on." Chiaro followed his leader wordlessly down the dark hallway. Zorn opened the door and used his gravity magic to keep her in place until he was able to chain her hands behind her back, dragging her behind him to the cell. Lucy didn't see anything ominous inside the room, but she desperately wanted to cover her nose with her hands at the stench of this place.

"What is that awful smell?"

"Just the fish on the docs," Zorn murmured to his captive. He placed her in the middle of the room, untied her hands and then used his magic so that she was floating in the air. Tobit launched several ice blades that sliced her arms opened causing Lucy to gasp in pain and surprise. Rivulets of blood trailed down her arms as she watched them drop onto the floor below her. Lucy sat Chiaro readying his whip and closed her eyes waiting for impact. A sickening snap sounded throughout the small room as it found its way to her back, but she managed to stifle a cry however she couldn't after the the third connection of the whip to her skin. Her shirt was torn to shreds and was barely hanging onto her body and she could feel the blood descending down her back. The fourth strike had her screaming out in pain before she found herself mercilessly dropped onto the cold floor.

"I do love watching you scream." Tobit whispered into her ear and he rammed and ice spike through her muscle of her calf ripping another scream from the blonde mage. Tears were streaming down her face as she whimpered and tried to hide her face in her arms.

"What's wrong lil girl. Trying to hide from us? How about I help you out with that," Zorn changed tactics by intensifying his gravity causing the pressure around Lucy to push in all around her, making it harder for her to breathe. The floor cracked beneath her from the force and she could feel a rib break from the sudden movement of stone. She grunted as she tried to take in more air and was relieved when his attack stopped and she was able to get a small reprieve.

"Well boss. Think you've got enough to replicate her?" questioned Chiaro while kneeling in front on the bleeding mage.

"I think we should be good. Leave her here and I'll have Yasmine come to heal her before she gets locked back in her cell." Tobit lifted Lucy up by her hair and gave her bloodied cheek a kiss before tossing away. The gashes along her back were dragged along the stone from where she was tossed and Lucy couldn't help buy cry out from the pain it caused. She could hear the males laughter fading into the distance and she continued to lay there unmoving. Her entire body hurt and if she was being honest with herself she was pretty sure a rib had pierced a rib and that was why she felt constantly out of breath.

 _Cos . . . dam . . . too . eak . . . bro . . . elp._ Lucy blinked trying to make out where the strange voices were coming from. They sounded familiar, but she was so tired and in so much pain that it was hard to stay focused.

 _Lucy can you hear us now? Cosplayer you there?_ Lucy desperatly tried to clear the fog from her brain and answer them.

 _Zen? Bix?_ She hated how weak she sounded and was hoping that neither would pick on it.

 _We don't how long this connection will last since Bix and I are combining our powers to try to link up with you._

 _Cosplayer can you tell us anything about where you might be?_ Lucy thought back to the conversations she briefly had with Tobit and his thugs.

 _Caelum. Somewhere in Rema and the place smells like rotting fish. There's another girl in the cell with me and they have big plans, but I don't know more. Sorry._

 _Don't worry Lucy. We are on our way and will be there as soon as we are able too._

 _Keep the light blazin Cosplayer and we'll see you real soon._

 _Love you boys._ The connection was cut after that and Lucy couldn't help the bubble of happiness that made it's way to the surface. Her family was on their way and soon she would be safe in their embrace.

"Oh dear. What the hell did those brutes do to you!" The petite black haired woman said as she kneeled beside Lucy.

"You must be Yasmine," Lucy smiled slightly to the newcomer, noticing she had a collar on too. The blue eyed woman smiled warmly back at Lucy. "Why are you collared?"

"This collar is specially made for me. It allows my healing powers through so that I can heal those morons and the rest of the guild from their idiotic injuries, but it doesn't allow me to make my barriers to keep them out." She frowned at that as she started healing all of Lucy's injuries starting with her broken rib.

"How'd you end up in a place like this?"

"Master Madara absolutely hates me. Like the fire of a thousands suns kind of hate," she cheekily stated. "But that's to be expected when I'm her younger sister and one of the only mages that can thwart her powers."

"You're sisters!

"Unfortunately so. Madara was always spoiled and when she didn't get her way she would force people into doing whatever she wanted. It took me a while to realize that we were both wizards. I am naturally not affected by her powers, but my shields are able to cover a whole city and nothing can penetrate them while my magic lasts." Yasmine smiled proudly at that fact while gently rolling Lucy onto her stomach so she could heal the ice wound and all the gashed from the whip. "I knew of my sisters plans and was going to head to the authorities with all the information I had gathered, but she caught wind of it. She isn't capable of killing me, so she kept me around to heal all of her minions and will occasionally tell me about her evil plans. I don't know much about what she has in store for you, but I know the young woman in your cell is the only survivor after Madara killed everyone else in the temple."

"What temple?"

"The temple that housed a dragon egg!" squealed Yasmine. "She was told that a celestial wizard was the key to finding and awakening the hatchlings, so she has had every single mage out there searching for clues to finding the egg. About a month ago one of the mages came back from Stella saying he had found an old legend about a temple being protected by some kind of guardians that were housing a mythical item. Madara went into the temple after immobilizing all of its occupants and found a dragon egg that is now hidden somewhere in the guild. On her way out she killed everyone she had immobilized, except one mage whom was able to fight against her spell. She had the mage knocked out and brought here in hopes that she would be of use with her questions on the egg, but she has been very tight lipped which has lead to many beatings."

Lucy's head was spinning. _A dragon egg has already been found? Does Draco know about this? I thought he said they were all safe and only he knew of their locations?_ So many questions and not enough answers, but now she knew that she wouldn't be able to leave until she located the egg and would leave with these two women.

"If I was going to escape would you come with me and the girl in my cell?"

"Ayala. Her name is Ayala and yes I would, but it's nearly impossible to leave and no one can block out Madara's magic." Yasmine looked at her hands which were sitting in her lap.

"I can block her magic, but first we need to find my keys and then get a way out of this hell hole." Lucy was beginning to think of a plan when the door slammed open and there stood the purple eyed mage from when they rescued Bickslow. "You? You're behind all of this?"

"Not all of it, but the majority of it. I have so many plans for you and your friends once they arrive. I just hope they don't take too long, afterall my bidders aren't very patient people." Madara smirked at Lucy's scowl. "SERGE! Come take Lucy back to her cell and ensure my dear sister makes her way back to her quarters. I have to welcome our visitor and make sure she's settled before tomorrow's events."

Lucy entered her cell to see that Ayala was awake and eating some of the food that had been brought to their cell. Lucy was awed by the beautiful emerald green of her eyes and couldn't help but smile at the woman who returned a bright smile of her own. Lucy was happy that the woman was alright, even though Yasmine had told her she had healed the woman before being brought to Lucy's cage. The two ate in comfortable silence and once their plates were gone Lucy was hit with a barrage of questions.

"My name in Ayala, what's yours? Are you a mage? Why do you smell funny? Where are you from? How did you get here? What guild are you part of?"

"Easy Ayala," chuckled Lucy at the woman's exuberance. "My name is Lucy. How about you ask me a question and then I'll as you one?" Ayala happily nodded her head.

"Are you a mage and if so what what type of magic do you have?"

"I am a celestial wizard and I hold ten of the twelve Zodiac keys. How did you end up here?"

"The temple that I was stationed at was attacked by the vile woman, Madara. I had been sent out to collect our weekly supply of necessities and when I came back everyone there was dead. I was so angry that I just attacked, got my ass handed to me because I couldn't focus, and ended up gagged and chained - neither of which were for my pleasure." The wicked smirk on her face reminded Lucy of Vander or Bickslow and she couldn't help but giggle. "Where are you from?"

"I live in a city called Magnolia which is part of the Fiore. Where are you originally from?"

"I lived in a small town on the the peninsula of Midi. What guild are you part of?"

"Fairy Tail," Lucy proudly stated looking fondly at her pink insignia and when she looked up she could see stars in Ayala's eyes. "What were you protecting in the temple?"

"We were under strict orders to protect the last dragon egg. A task we all took very seriously and have been undertaking for around four hundred years, well up until a few days ago." Ayala crossed her arms and pouted slightly. "How did you end up in this dump?"

"My friend and I were confronted by Tobit and his following of sleeze balls. We tried to fight our way out, but unfortunately my teammate was knocked out while Zorn and Chiaro teamed up and captured me. What will you do once you are able to get free of this place?"

"Honestly I don't know. I need to get the egg back and wait until the Queen of Dragons is able to summon Draco and hatch the egg, but until that point in time I'll need to find somewhere safe to hide away. Why are you so interested in the egg?"

"I know whom the Queen of Dragons is and I also happen to know a very safe place for you, if you decide to join me once we are out." Ayala hugged Lucy and let a few tears leak onto the celestial mages baggy shirt. The stress of the last few days had been awful and Ayala was happy to have met someone as amazing as Lucy. "I know what I want to ask for my last question before we turn in for the night. What kind of mage are you?"

"I'm kinda a mage . . . you see . . . I'm an earth dragon slayer."

* * *

It was almost 10pm by the time the remaining members of Fairy Tail had all arrived at Laxus' house. The lightning slayer had offered his house up for everyone to clean up and get something to eat. It also provided everyone a base of operations while they figured out how they were going to proceed to Caelum to retrieve Lucy. Kaleb was disappointed when Bickslow wasn't able to make it through to Lucy on his own, but thanks to Freed's quick thinking Bickslow and Zen were able to jointly use their link to talk to their missing mage. He was trying to figure out who should team up with who for this mission, but Erza was being briefed by Cana and Jellal on their recent missions.

"You should probably have a dragon slayer within each group. It'll make tracking Lucy easier with their heightened sense of smell, plus with their three exceeds we can easily get people away if necessary." Kaleb spun around to find two cerulean blue pools and a dazzling smile aimed at him. White hair pooled flowed behind her snow white shoulders, which contrasted nicely with her black dress. His mouth felt dry and his pants felt a bit tight. "I'm Mira-Jane, but everyone just calls me Mira."

"I'm Kaleb. The Master of the White Sea guild and one of Bickslow's older brothers. Would you mind giving me a hand since Erza is currently busy?" Her smile intensified and Kaleb could feel his heartbeat quicken. "I like your suggestion about having a dragon slayer in each team. What else do you figure?"

"Well I know my family quite well and have been observing yours all night." He raised an eyebrow at her statement. "It comes with watching people while running the guild bar. I've gotten very good at sizing people up over the years." Mira's smirk wasn't lost on Kaleb. "Natsu, Grey and Erza have been a team for years, so I say we leave them as is. Laxus should stay with Freed and Bickslow plus adding Guildarts into the mix will be. Sting and Rogue have always been a powerful duo, but I think they'll need the calm and strategic ways of Thane. Cobra was part of the Oracien Seis, so I vote we leave those five as is. I also think you'll need to stick with Cristoff to keep that slayer grounded when it comes to anything involving Lucy. Gajeel and Wendy have been doing a lot of training together, so they should stay together too."

"So that leaves Vander, Zen, Emzadi, Cana, Farron and yourself. I would like Farron to go with Thane's group since he is an ambassador and I know he'll be safer with one of my mages." Kaleb looked at Mira to see if he had offended her, but to his surprise she nodded her head in agreement. "Zen, Emzadi and you will join Cristoff and myself just in case we need extra help restraining him as a worse case scenario. Which means Vander and Cana will be joining up with Gajeel and Wendy. Will those three be alright with Vander?" He watched his brother tossing insults with Bickslow and Laxus and was second guessing that team.

"Gajeel will just ignore Vander when he becomes too much, Wendy may be a tomato when we get back but some exposure to his character will do her some good, and if Vander can keep up with Cana it'll be a miracle," smirked Mira to the white leather clad master who laughed.

"Maybe Vander will learn a thing or two from your card mage or maybe she'll end up underneath him like every other woman that he has come across." Kaleb stood towering over Mira while absently running his hand along the length of her exposed arm. "If Cana caves and has sex with Vander before we rescue Lucy I win, but if she holds out until after the rescue then you win."

"If I win you have to help us rebuild, secure, and install your amazing mission assignment tech at the cost of White Sea."

"If I win I am going to take you on a four day vacation where I can make your body sing with all the pleasure I'll be showering you with." Mira gasped in surprise since she didn't think he would be after her in such a manner. "Do we have a deal She-Devil?"

"You have yourself a deal." Kaleb pulled her in close sealed their bet with a chaste kiss to her lips, leaving Mira wishing it would last longer.

"I think I like how you Boscans make deals." Kaleb laughed as he gathered everyone around to talk about the temporary teams and what the next steps they were taking


	14. Chapter 13

Sorry for the wait! I will have another chapter ready to go Friday evening as well, so stay tuned and enjoy.

* * *

The next morning the two guilds prepared for their departure to Caelum's capital and would all be transported via Cristoff's moon jumping abilities. The groups had been assigned their tasks by Kaleb and Erza so once they hit the city Thane would transport them to their targeted areas. Cristoff's team was going to have to hang back so that he could regain the magical power he was going to be expending to bring everyone with him, in one large jump. Kaleb decided that the best course of action would be to head to a branch of the White Sea guild that they had in Rema. Kaleb had wasted no time in contacting the officer in charge, Hewet Tavi, and informing him of their sudden trip.

Hewet complied to his master's wishes and promptly had the guild getting ready for everyone's arrival. Some of his mages were going to have to double up in the housing situation since they were a smaller branch with about one hundred members helping the country of Caelum. Hewet kept his hunter green hair super short since he couldn't stand having long hair when the humidity of the island was so high. His honey colored eyes scanned the guild as everyone was working hard to accommodate the twenty five mages that would be staying for an undetermined amount of time. They were getting the suites ready that his top teams occupied under the master's floor, and the teams would be bunking with him for the time being. There were spare beds being brought out from storage and more food was being prepped for the noon meal, since that's when Kaleb had stated they would arrive.

Hewet had stumbled into Pelerno at the age of eight, after his parents had been taken while travelling to the city. His mother had the ability to create barriers and had created one to camouflage him to his surroundings and he'd been trapped within for several hours. Once he was free he eventually found his way to into the city and had collapsed outside the gates of the guild. A guild member had found him and brought him in and Kaleb had been put in charge of his care. Kaleb was five years older than Hewet and had taken the younger mage under his wing when the guild had taken him in as a ward of the guild, and together they developed the barrier magic he inherited from his mother. Kaleb was a strict teacher and mentor, but it had all paid off well for Hewet whom was named the new captain of the Rema branch a year ago. Hewet was once of Kaleb's youngest captain's only just turning twenty one, but he was driven and the guild were all happy with their chosen leader.

The guild was buzzing with excitement over the fact that Kaleb was going to be coming to the guild since he hadn't made an appearance there since Hewet was given his promotion, and that there were so many mages coming with him. Kaleb hadn't told him too much besides the fact that they'd need housing and some of his top mages that knew the area to accompany the teams, but if there were coming with this many mages something must have been wrong and that worried the leader. He had several mages in mind to join the teams, but until he could meet all the mages and see whom would fit best where he wasn't going to tell them.

A massive amount of magical power poured through the guild as Hewet made his way to the training grounds to welcome his guests. He was surprised to see Fairy Tail members amongst the group and that piqued his curiosity even more. His guild had watched the Grand Magic Games several years ago and was surprised that one guild held so many powerful mages, granted he could only name the eleven mages that had participated in the games. There were several others that he had no clue about, but was sure that Master Kaleb would explain.

"Welcome to the Rema branch Master Kaleb." Hewet crossed his right arm over his chest and bowed forward in greeting, with Kaleb returning the gesture.

"Thank you for agreeing to this on such short notice Captain Hewet. Erza, Cobra, and myself would like to head to your quarters to catch you up on what's going on."

"Of course. I'll have Danice show everyone to their rooms and then to the dining hall where we can meet for the noon meal." Hewet waived the short auburn haired woman over to tell her of her duties. "If you'll follow me we can talk in my office." The small group made their way up to the captain's office and Hewet activated the silencing mode for the quaint room.

"I would like to introduce you to Master Erza of the Fairy Tail guild and Cobra the poison dragon slayer of the guild." They all nodded curtly to one another.

"Fairy Tail was attacked a couple days ago, the guild was destroyed, several mages lost their lives, and one was kidnapped." Erza stated in a no nonsense voice. "Lucy Heartfilia has been taken and we aim to rescue her and find out the reasons for the attack. Cobra here was with her when it happened, so I would like him to speak to your mages that will be joining our teams."

"How many mages will you be needing? May I know what magics the teams have so I may pair them up with the appropriate counterparts?"

"There are six teams in all. Team A is Emzadi, Cristoff, Zen, Mira, and myself are on one team. Mira has take over magic with a specialty in demon take overs." Hewet was impressed at the strength of the first team and was surprised that most of his Master's siblings were all on one team.

"Team B contains Natsu, Grey, and myself. Requip magic, fire dragon slayer, and an ice demon slayer." Hewet had never heard of an ice demon slayer before and was intrigued. "Team C consists of a lightning dragon slayer, rune mage, seith mage, and a cash mage. Team D has metal and wind dragon slayers, a card mage, and a shadowquip mage. Team E has the twin slayers of light and dark, a teleportation mage and a sound mage. Lastly Team F has heavenly body magic, reflector mage, slowing mage, earth mage, and Cobra."

"I will find send mages to each team after we have all eaten. Is there anything else I should know about this mission?"

"We are dealing with powerful mages that we are assuming are in a dark guild here in Rema." Hewet frowned at what Kaleb was saying, since there hasn't been any dark guild movement in several months and Kaleb was listening in on his inner monologue. "Have you heard anything at all recently from your team or within the city?"

"Not within the city, but a temple on one of the smaller isles was ransacked and everyone was found dead six days ago. We have no idea what was stolen and there was no paperwork within the building. The temple has since vanished leaving a barren spot where it once stood."

"What can you tell us about this temple?" Cobra wanted to know more about this vanishing temple.

"It was said to be guarded for hundreds of years by an order from a heavenly creature to protect until the queen was able to take it's most prized possession from within. No one has been able to set foot within it's confines and the people there caused no one any trouble, so we had no need to disrupt them. The King of Caelum sent soldiers and several of my mages accompanied them, but there was nothing to be found. They arrived back late yesterday afternoon."

"This is most troubling indeed." Erza had placed a hand to her chin and was in deep thought. "I think it is safe to say that whatever was taken this enemy plans to use Lucy to activate it." She sighed and rubbed her temples wishing away the frustration she was feeling.

"How about we go get some food? Maybe after you've eaten and rested a bit we can go over you plans to find Miss Heartfilia?" Hewet suggested as he made his way to the door and opened it for the three mages in his office. They made their way to the dining hall in relative silence, each lost in their own heads. The dining hall was filled with chatter and laughter as they walked through the doors and they each made their way to their respective teams. They would rest for now and then they'd divide and start searching the streets for anything they could find on Lucy's whereabouts.

* * *

Yasmine sat in the medical bay healing the broken arm of some moron she didn't care to know. Another day filled with meaningless work helping people she did not care whether they lived or died. Another day trapped in a guilded cage due to her own stupidity. It was true that she had been on her way to tell the authorities about her sister's dark guild, but it her naivety she had fallen in love with a man who was quite literally in bed with her sister. He had told Madara of her plans and she'd had her her little boy toys to bring her back, collared. And there she rotted.

Until yesterday. Her hope had been renewed after her meeting with Lucy. They needed to get her keys back from Tobit, find the dragon egg, and then escape this hell hole. Tobit keeps Lucy's keys on his belt at all times, but she had no idea as to where the dragon egg was. She sighed and put her medical supplies away. The afternoon sparring match wasn't for a couple hours yet, so she'd have some peace and quiet.

"Where are you ya dumb bitch. I need you to fix me arm." Yasmine clenched her fists and bit the inside of her cheek to stop he from responding to the vile mage. "Come on ya dumb whore." Yasmine whirled around to glare at Zorn and wished lasers would shoot out of her eyes and strike him where he stood. He was looking her up and down and her glare intensified and she could feel blood trickle down her fingers from here her nails had pierced the skin of her palm.

"What'd you do this time?"

"Sparring match. Three on one and they broke my arm, but I am sure you'll seem their prone bodies on your bed shortly." His free hand caressed her hip as his tongue wet his lips. Yasmine spun around to avoid any further advances and grabbed a couple needles.

"I need to numb your arm and set the break before I can heal you." She set to work trying to get this over with so he would take his creepy ass and leave the med bay. Thankfully the break was clean and didn't take more than five minutes to repair.

"You're good to go." The healer went to walk away but Zorn had pressed her back to his front and was using his strength to keep her pinned there. She could feel the bile travel up her throat and had to shove it back down to focus on not panicking. His tongue trailed up her neck, around the shell of her ear as he grinded his erection on her lower back.

"Are you going to willingly give it up today you frozen bitch or do I need to pin you down and take what is owed to me?" His nasty breath fanned across her cheek and the urge to vomit was overwhelming. She reached grabbed a vase that was close by, stomped on the inside of his foot with her heal and shattered the glass against his thick skull, effectively showing him that his advances were not welcome.

"Now you're going to get it you stupid fucking . . . "

"Zorn what the hell is going on in here? Why is the side of your head bleeding?" Tobit questioned while hauling the three mages he had taken down into the white walled room.

"She freaked out on me for trying the thank her for healing my arm!"

"I'll take her to the cell until Madara decides on what she wants to do about this, but if you tried to hurt her your ass will be grilled." Tobit had no love for the healer, but being the Master's sister she had a certain amount of immunity. He gabbed the mage by the arm and hauled her smaller form out of the room to throw her in with Lucy and the other prisoner.

"Enjoy your new quarters until the Master return tomorrow afternoon."

"Yasmine!" Lucy and Ayala yelled as she was thrown into the cell with them.

"Are you alright? What happened?" She smiled up at the familiar faces of her friends, or at least the closest thing she had to them.

"Zorn tried to rape me so I broke a vase over his stupid mug." Lucy wrapped her in a hug to shield her from her feelings.

"I'll cut his dick off and cram it down his throat when we get out of here!" the evil gleam in her eyes told them that she would keep her word too. "We just need to think of a way out of this hell hole and the sooner the better. I have a bad feeling about what's coming out way."

"But how? We have these damn cuffs and collars on, and we'll only be able to run so far before we're tracked down and tossed back in here." Yasmine's worried eyes looked up into Lucy's brown ones while Lucy soothingly stroked her rusty red hair.

"Well we need to find something sharp to pick the locks at least on the collars. They'll be the easiest to keep unlocked, but around our necks without anyone seeing anything since the clasp is behind our necks. That'll allow some of our powers to come forth and then I can communicate with my team and maybe my spirits can pinpoint our location to relate it to them." Lucy began to formulate a plan on how to escape but she didn't know where her keys were or the dragon egg, which Ayala mentioned.

"Madara will keep the egg close to her, so I bet it's somewhere hidden in her office. I can detect other barriers, so if we can get in there then I can do my thing. And I know for a fact that Tobit keeps your keys on his person day and night."

"Once we find her keys and the egg then what? Not like your friends will be able to pinpoint where we are directly. I mean unless you want to blow shit up, but I doubt they'd even know it was us because who goes around blasting buildings to pieces?" Ayala sighed feeling defeated.

"Ayala that's perfect!" Lucy almost screeched.

"Hey Yasmine what are you playing with in your pocket?" Ayala asked as she watched the younger girl fidget.

"Oh I put a spare needle in my pocket after numbing Zorn's arm earlier. Why?" Ayala looked at Lucy with a knowing smile. "You just figured out how we're going to pick these locks."

"Yasmine why don't you take a nap with Ayala for a bit. I am going to work on the finer details of this plan and then with any luck we'll be outta here before Madara gets back." Lucy's mind was going a mile a minute formulating plans A, B and C. Tomorrow they'd be out of here and be free once again!

* * *

Madara had just finished talking with Joyan Warqueen, updating her on the fact that all the dragon slayers had indeed come to rescue the girl she had taken. The Warqueen was set to arrive the next afternoon, which meant she needed to be back tonight to greet her guest. She was however on her way to meet the mage who wanted to kill Lucy Heartfilia for reasons she was most curious about. Her ideals were the exact opposite of the nation of Pergrande was like, since she likes to use men to breed strong warriors and strengthen her lines.

Joya as a whole was not run like that, but the Queen Sydelle had a large group of followers that were dedicated to the cause of having strong women rule. She was a fierce warrior that would make an Amazon women bow before her, and her voluptuousness caught many a man's eye that would be begging to be her sex slave. Her jet black hair was kept in a high ponytail that ended at the back of her knees and contrasted nicely against her mocha skin, but what drew the men in were her rose colored eyes outlined by long thick lashes. Her regular attire consisted of dark colored leather brazier with matching leather pants held up by a belt which held the scabbards that encased both of her swords.

Queen Sydelle was a gifted tactician as well using any kind of weapon to strike down her enemy by calculating their strengths and weaknesses and using them against her enemies. The queen also did not believe that women should solely rely on their magic for power and any female mages that she had under her were combat trained first and magic was to be used as a last resort. Most of the mages were defensive mages or had long range attacks, but she had a select few that were privy only to her.

Madara could only assume that she wanted the dragon slayer to create her own army of slayers and to overthrow the Federal Directorial Republic that governed Joya. Those men were each scrumptious in their own rights, but if she had to pick any to warm her bed she would be going after the big blonde slayer. She was happy that in her negotiations with the Warqueen she was able to get her to agree to using Laxus to breed her, as long as the child would spend time training with her highness.

Now the immobility mage had a young privileged white haired angel mage, Sorano, to deal with. She was heading to a meeting to meet said mage and was quite curious as to why she wanted to destroy Lucy Heartfilia in the first place. Not that she would allow it, since she need her to hatch the dragon egg she had come across. So she entered the tavern that they were to meet up with and saw the busty mage sitting at a secluded table near the back of the loud bar.

"Good evening Master Madara. I hope you didn't have any trouble getting here." Sorano bowed her head in head before offering her a seat.

"There have been no issues since my arrival into the quaint little town." Madara still had an ear to the ground in case any other rumors about more dragon eggs had come up, or if there was any more insight into what the King of Pergrande was working on.

"May we skip the formalities Madara?" She inclined her head acceptance. "I know that Lucy's rag tag team from Fairy Tail, have joined with the White Sea guild, and are in the capital storming the streets looking for her, so I would like to change my plan. I want to kill that stupid bitch in front of all of her friends. Make then suffer, while she suffers knowing that they are in pain because they will be losing her.

"What has she done to you to warrant this retribution?" Madara asked with a raised eyebrow.

"She took everything away from me! She took my celestial keys away from me and then became trapped in the Infinity Clock only to release all celestial mages from their hundred year slumber - I could have ruled the Heavens, but no! She. Ruined. EVERYTHING! Then she goes and befriends my sister, Yukino, and turns her into a meek Fairy to bare that stupid light slayers children when she should be ruling by my side. If I hadn't found a compulsion mage to use his powers on her you would have known nothing about the slayers, Draco, or the eggs. Best thing about it is that she'll never remember it happened and with your help I will crush Heartfilia and everyone she holds dear. The Light of Fairy Tail will forever be diminished" Her dark grey eyes glowed brighter the longer she talked, but closed her eyes and reined it in. She needed this woman's help and she would do anything to ensure that her plan succeeded.

"I'm not one to deny you your revenge, but you will do it on my terms. It will coincide nicely with another deal I have in the works, since watching Lucy die will undoubtedly bring the everyone searching for her to their knees. Then you'll be able to rule over the Heavens as you see fit." Madara smiled, enjoying how this would play out strongly in her favor and the Warqueen would be able to capture the slayers without as much of a fight. "You will meet me at lunch time tomorrow and I will surrender my captive to you and then begin luring her search dogs. You may do with her what you see fit, but one of my mages will give you the all clear and you may end her life." Sorano smiled evilly and shook Madara's hand to cement their terms, and Madara left the tavern.

After so many years of waiting and failed plans she would finally get everything she deserved. Sorano had been six years old when she had been kidnapped and taken to the Tower of Heaven to be a slave. Her entire life she had been hoping to find her sister, the one her mother had been pregnant with when she was taken. She joined Brain because of his promise to help her do so, but those were all broken. After her humiliating defeat, loss of her keys, and dungeon time she was excited at the prospect of what the Infinity Clock would be able to do and the angel coins that only she was going to be able to wield. Lucy thwarted those plans too!

The demons of Tartaros weren't capable of killing her, even after Mard Geer had activated Alegria. So Sorano joined Jellal for a while and hunted Zeref, practicing and honing her angel magic but still not being able to defeat Lucy. She had hoped that Brandish would finish the job, but that proved too much for her to handle. After she heard about END and the fight with Acnologia she was positive that the brat would be killed by either one of them, but she somehow survived that battle too. Lucky Lucy Heartfilia was certainly living up to her name, but not for much longer. Tomorrow she would kill her and claim her rightful place as Queen of the Heavens!


	15. Chapter 14

Bickslow knew he should be waking up and heading down for breakfast, but he couldn't force himself to get out of the comfy bed he was currently occupying. He could hear Gildarts snoring loudly beside him and cracked an eye to see that Laxus and Freed had already left the room. He looked at his wrist and tried to contact Lucy for the millionth time, but he couldn't get through on his own or with Zen. It was beyond frustrating to be in the city they knew she was located, but not be able to find her. Each team had come across several fish markets the last twenty four hours, but the only smells the slayers could pick up on were the pungent odor of the slimy things.

Groaning loudly he wrenched himself off the bed and headed to the shower in an attempt to wake himself up. He hopped under the warm waterfall and let water soothe his muscles and smiled while he thought about how Lucy had brought the two guilds together and her plan to keep them together. Amongst her many ideas was seeing if Fairy Tail could become a sister branch or an extended arm of the White Sea guild, which would greatly benefit all the couples that had occurred over the last several months.

Laxus, Natsu, Freed, and Lucy had all found their significant others between the two guilds and with the way Kaleb currently fawning of Mira while Vander traded insults with Cana, it would only be a matter of time before his father would be joyously holding the grand babies he so desperately wanted. Bickslow couldn't help but chuckle at how his dad would react whenever the first pregnancy was announced. He was happy for his family and hoped that Zen and himself would be able to find love one day too. Granted Zen was perfectly happy not being tied down to anyone or anything.

Bicklsow had never thought he wanted a relationship, being born and raised in Bosco he was more than happy have different partners join him in his bed when he was home is Pelerno or Magnolia. However after watching everyone fall in love, mate, or start families he was becoming a bit envious. He wanted all of that for himself too, but he also knew his magic frightened the majority of people. There were even people in both guilds that were nervous around him because they all thought he was going to "freak the fuck out and posses their asses" as Cobra had so eloquently put it one day.

Master and his team weren't worried about his powers, and they had all worked hard to ensure he had absolute control. However it was Lucy that had truly made him feel loved and welcome in Fairy Tail, and after that mostly everyone else was okay with him too. She had come across him one night when he was drunk and stumbling home, except home was in the opposite direction. He had been drawn to the brilliant white color of her soul that was singing with happiness and, if possible, he became more drunk from that feeling.

He found her sitting on the edge of the channel talking with Plue while staring up at the star filled sky. She turned to look at him and gestured for him to sit beside her. They sat in silence for a while just gazing up at the stars before Plue suddenly pooffed back to his world causing Bickslow to raise an eyebrow to the blonde beside him. Their conversation that night would forever be implanted into his very soul.

"What brings you here on this lovely night Bix?"

"I was heading home from the bar, when your soul lit up like a beacon and I found myself wanting to know why so I decided to investigate." I was mostly the truth, but he had also wanted to escape his drunk friends at the bar they were partying at that night too. Needed some time to think, about what he wasn't too sure yet.

"My soul led you here?"

"Your soul is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen Cosplayer. It's pure white and super bright, most of the time. It dims occasionally, especially after Tartaros and the losses you suffered there." Lucy frowned at that, obviously not liking that particular moment in time. Not that he could blame her considering he almost died due to inhaling bane particles.

"So what's so significant about my soul then? I know Cobra likes to stay near me because it calms him and lessons what he can hear, but I have no idea why?" The puzzled look on her face was adorable and he couldn't but smile.

"Your soul is special. You see the thing is . . . " Bickslow froze as Lucy's hands were on either side of his face and gently tugging his mask off, causing him to freeze up. No one, absolutely no one had ever taken his mask off before, not even Arman or his siblings had attempted to do so.

"That's much better! Now I can look at your face while your talking to me."

"You . . . You're not afraid of my powers?" Bicklsow hated himself for stuttering but he was just too shocked.

"Why? Bickslow you'd never hurt anyone on purpose and the control you exert to ensure that never happens is top notch. I have no reason be scared of you and you certainly don't have any reason to hide behind it, especially not with me."

"I'm not hiding from anything Cosplayer. I think you've inhaled too much celestial dust from your spirits pooffing in and out all the time." His lolled out to the side of his mouth and Lucy giggled at him.

"You seem to forget that Freed and Levy aren't the only bookworms in the guild. I have researched everyone's magic to have a better understanding of how it works and to know my family better. I know that all seith mages are born with their powers, but often turn dark or are killed by another dark seith to absorb their powers. I also know you hide the pain of your past behind this mask and your jokes." Bickslow gave her a perplexed look. "I grew up in high society, so I became very good at reading people to ensure no harm came to me, my family, or our business. No one can hide everything all of the time and if they do it's only a matter of time before the explode and hurt the people around them. I know something has been eating at you the last couple weeks, so if you need someone to listen I am here for you." She grabbed his hands then and gently kissed his palms.

"I recently received a letter from my home country, Bosco, stating that I was able to return home and that my magic was no longer considered dangerous." Lucy cocked her head in confusion while drawing circles on his palms and easing the tension he was feeling. "When I was young there was no such things as light seith mages, they were all dark, twisted mages whom were consumed with killing and attaining souls. You were right when you said that a dark seith mage would kill other mages and take their powers, however if a dark mage could get his hand on a light seith soul then the spike in his powers were unrivaled. They had to be killed, which wasn't easy. I was about six when my parents had abandoned me once they found out I was a mage, and shortly afterwards a dark seith found me and was trying to suck my soul. I was rescued by a kind man and his son, whom would become part of my adoptive family where I was loved and cared for. However I still had to hide since seith magic was banned in Bosco, so my father sent me to Fiore when I was thirteen to live with a family friend. Two years later I met Laxus and we became thick as thieves, so he invited me to Fairy Tail and the rest is history. I haven't physically seen my family in five years, twelve is you count the seven years were slept on that damn island. Now I can go home, but I don't know if I can or should or if my family even wants me there."

Bickslow was scared of being rejected by his family and left alone, again. He had talked to his dad occasionally on a secured lacrima and had on occasion seen his eldest brother while he was in Fiore for work, but no one else was able to make contact with. Fairy Tail would always be home, but his family was hundred of miles away and that tore at him.

"So don't go alone." Lucy said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world and he could only blink at her. "Take your team with you. We both know Master would allow the four of you some time to do this, plus I have heard Laxus bragging occasionally that the White Sea guild is the most amazing guild ever created and that he was able to be a part of it while he was exiled. Now I wonder whom he got that idea from?" Lucy pointedly looked him in the eyes and he blushed from her intense look.

"You think they'd want to go though?" He couldn't imagine why they'd want to go with him to his birth country.

"Pft! Laxus will catch up with friends he made there, Freed will find a library and get lost in it, meanwhile Ever will be tickled at the thought of going shopping. You have no need to worry and I know your family misses you because I miss you when your ugly mug isn't around." Bickslow chuckled. She was making this seem so easy and not even a little scary.

"But what if . . ."

"Don't play the What If game Bix. All that does is make you second guess yourself and put negative thoughts in where there were none previously. You'll never know if they missed you if you don't at least take the chance, so think of it as a mission if you want. A personal mission! At the very least you'll be in an exotic country with your team and the peak you'll find you were missed just as much as you've missed them. Besides I'll be here waiting for you to return to listen to whatever happens and to make sure my soul brother is alright." Bickslow hauled her into his arms then and buried his face in the crook of her neck.

"You are amazing Cosplayer. I don't know how you do any it, but I am glad that you do. Your soul has literally been caressing mine this entire time and soothing it, so I am going to assume that's what Cobra feels every damn time he's near you. Lucky bastard!" Lucy laughed and flicked his forehead telling him to be nice, so he looked away. Lucy's soft hand caressed his cheek bringing his face back to hers.

"I promise that I will be here for you no matter what happens in Bosco and from here on out. You'll never be without family while I am here to love and protect you." Bickslow had sucked in a breath then and his eyes widened. He knew what a celestial promise was and the fact she had made one with him was huge!

"Guess I need to get some sleep so I can talk to my team and Master tomorrow eh?"

"Maybe a couple pain killers to ease the potential hangover and make you somewhat tolerable too." Lucy snickered as Bickslow pretended to be offended.

"Goodnight Lucy. Thank you . . . for everything."

"Anytime Bickslow. Sweet dreams." His trip to Bosco was kept between his team, gramps, and Lucy just in case something went sideways and the government revoked the letter. Lucy had been right though, his family had missed him greatly and the three weeks they stayed in Pelerno were amazing. Lucy was waiting for him when they returned to the guild, just like she promised to be and from then on out they had developed this weird sibling relationship that no one knew what to make of. He also knew that ever single slayer had gone through something similar, because that's just who Lucy was.

Bickslow's trip down memory lane was interrupted by someone loudly yelling his name, so he wrapped a towel around his waist and opened the door to tear into whomever thought that yelling at him was okay. Just as he went to lay into said person he realized that there wasn't anyone on the other side of the door. _Well that's just fucking weird! I swore I heard someone yelling my name._ He shrugged his shoulders and put his boxers, pants and boots on before reaching for his undershirt.

 _BICKSLOW!_

"What the hell?" He spun around, but there was no one there.

 _It's Lucy you moron!_

 _Cosplayer! Where the hell have you been? Are you alright?_

 _I'm mostly fine, but I have a lot to tell you and not a lot of time._ Bickslow listened as Lucy rambled about her plan and what they needed to do and look for, as well as the fact that someone was after her still but she had no idea who.

 _Where is Zen anyways? I tried to reach him, but wasn't able too?_

 _No idea, but I'll ring his neck when I find out!_

 _Just a small amount of maiming Bix. We may need him to get me out. Shit! A guard is coming! Later Bix._ He quickly threw on the rest of his clothes, summoned his babies, and flew down to the guild hall. He was rushing past people and apologizing as he went for startling or shoving them aside, but this was too important. _Why are there so many floors!_ He burst through the doors and all eyes were on him.

"Lucy just contacted me!" Immediately questions were being flung at the seith mage, so much that his head started spinning.

"ENOUGH!" Kaleb's voice sounded above everyone else's. "One delegate from each team to Captain Hewet's office to discuss." Erza, Vander, Sting, and Cobra followed Kaleb, Bickslow, and Hewet into the office."I will link with everyone in the groups so that they can all hear, but I wanted to make sure this initial conversation couldn't be heard by anyone." Kaleb linked with everyone but furrowed his eyebrows for a minute, before getting Bickslow to relay Lucy's message.

"Lucy said that someone is still after her, but she doesn't know why. They have a plan to get out, but there are at least a hundred mages in the dark guild Black Shaman. She has two other with her that she will be bringing back along with a precious package, and no I have no idea what she meant. She did say to be on high alert for her signal around noon though."

"What signal?" Sting asked wondering how the captured mage was going to let them know.

"She said she was going to pull a Natsu . . ." Erza, Gray, Wendy, and Natsu all burst out laughing.

"Lucy is going to blow something up, while using fire as a distraction," Erza filled in, which made everyone wince or laugh.

"Everyone get yourselves ready and head out to our quadrants and wait for Lucy's signal. Cristoff can you come to the Captain's office for a minute?" Kaleb relayed more orders as the Captain went about getting his own guild ready to assist should they be needed. Kaleb was pacing when Cristoff entered the room.

"What's wrong Kaleb?"

"I couldn't link with Zen or Mira. They went on an early morning patrol, but I haven't heard from either since the left at 4am. Bickslow was telling me directly that Lucy hadn't been able to reach Zen either when she was talking to him. I don't like this Cris." Kaleb crossed his arms and was running through several scenarios.

"I'll go look for them while you coordinate here. I'll take Cobra with me so he can keep hopefully hear something then you and Emzadi can join his team so they still have a slayer. Keep a direct link open to the two of us an we'll let you know what we find." Cristoff kept his stoic mask in place as he left the office and headed back to the guild hall.

"Cobra we are needed outside to look into something minor. We'll meet up with all of you later." Cobra caught on to what Cristoff had been told and followed the lunar slayer out of the guild and out of earshot.

"How the fuck do two mages as strong at them just disappear?"

"Well it's not easy, that's for damn sure. I'm hoping an additional nose and your ears can help us out here?"

"I'm not a fuckn dog you know?" Cristoff laughed for the first time since he had appeared in Magnolia. "You and your dragon miss Lucy and he's blaming you for not mating her when you had the chance which has you second guessing whether waiting was the right thing or not?" Cristoff scowled at the poison slayer. "You weren't wrong ya know. Tink wasn't ready for that kind of commitment yet, especially with all of her wonderful new responsibilities. She needed time to work through all of it on her and figure out what works for her before she brings you into it. She had most of it figured out in the month we were back in Magnolia. Just so you know Tink missed you."

"How do you know?"

"Tink's soul is able to lesson the voices I hear when I am near her, similar to what happens with Kinana. We had some chats while we were home and I helped ease her mind, but when you do mate you are screwed. The positions and scenarios she would think of would put Vander to shame I am almost positive." Cristoff groaned while Cobra laughed at his misery. "Oi! Don't need you thinking about how you're going to fuck her senseless when you mate her. That's my queen you sick fuck! STOP! Mavis please stop thinking about Tink like that!" Cristoff grinned in victory as the continued to wonder the streets hoping to pick of on either mage.

"Do you smell that? Smells one of Mira's take over demons."

"She's Satan Soul, but it smells like another demon is there too?" Cobra stopped and pushed his sound magic out to listen for anything. "She's protecting Zen from the demon. And . . . well shit . . . I think . . . she's fucking crazy trying to take over that demon."

"What demon is she facing?"

"Calls himself King Beleth. Know anything about him?"

"I briefly remember a story about his capture in Pergrande. Being a master of music he had lured one of the kings to his demise with a beautiful song. The king had stuffed wax in his ears, using a spell and a wand to trap him, forever stuck serving the family. If Mira takes him over won't she be made to serve the lines of the Pergrande Kings?"

"Nope. She can only take over the demon's powers and appearance and since she doesn't take over their physical form the demon will become a man and will have to head back to Pergrande empty handed. Oh we're getting closer I can hear the demon better now." They continued forward with Cristoff following Cobra's lead. "He tried luring Zen and Mira with a song, but only Zen was entranced by it since . . ."

"A demon cannot enslave another demon. Wouldn't Beleth notice Mira's demons though?"

"That woman has been dealing with demons since she was in her early teens and is able to suppress their presence within her. Master Makarov taught her how to do that so the demon would stop taking over at random times." Cobra could tell Cristoff was impressed, but slightly concerned with how his mindbender mage of a brother will be able to handle multiple voices should anything happen with the two of them.

"There's a whole lot of crazy trapped inside that woman, so best of luck to Kaleb and hopefully her survives her mean streaks." Cristoff laughed and slowed as Cobra did. They peaked around the corner of the street and found their missing teammates. Zen was passed out on the ground with Mira standing in front of him protectively and opposite of her was what looked like a decaying person with horns protruding from it's skull and back.

"Do we go in and help her?" Cristoff asked while looking at Zen's still form on the cobblestone.

"She knows he we here and is asking for us to stand down. She's changing forms to take him down and once that's done they'll both need help. Fuck me! She's bringing out Sitri!" This demon form's clothes were replaced by a geometric printed bodysuit with a blue and white dress coat adorned by an over-sized black collar supported by two belts which corsets her waist and a black cape. Mira grew horns on either side of her head and her once sleek hair was replaced with thick backcombed hair combined with a pair of claws and royal blue markings appear on her legs she looked deadly and formidable.

Beleth attacked Sitri head on, but this form was incredibly fast and the king had no hopes of landing a close range hit. Her fire attacks coupled with her intense strength had the demon crippled on the ground before long. Sitri walked up to the demon king and began to absorb his powers, leaving nothing but a quivering lithe naked man on the ground. Sitri began to change into her new demon form to see where it landed in her ranks. It was more powerful than Satan Soul and Halphas, but was no where near Sitri's or Alegria's magic level. The pied piper power would definitely come in handy down the road and the fireball attacks weren't to be taken lightly.

Beleth Mira had short white hair with red streaks with red horns protruding from the top and sides of her head. She was dressed in a black leather corset and with matching skin tight pants that were covered with live flames. Her arms were decorated with bone like vines that circled their way to her wrists and could be made into any instrument. She was able to fly thanks to her black bat like wings that weren't obstructed thanks to her corset. All in all she was quite please with this newest demon take over.

She reverted to her regular self and swayed slightly before Cobra held her close to keep her upright. Cristoff was waking Zen from his spell induced slumber and healing the other minor wounds he had sustained before moving over to Mira to do the same. Cobra helped Zen off the ground and smiled at the angel mage who was very disorientated.

"What in the hell happened?"

"Kaleb had sent us out on an early patrol and we were ambushed by a demon that was controlled by King Karadin." Mirajane sadly looked at the man that was still laying on the cold ground, barely living. "The demon was supposed to bring you back to the gladiator pits and with any luck your family would come save you only to be captured and enslaved as well. We were out for a while, but when he started to play the harp to lure use onto the airship my demon souls reacted to it and we began to battle. We were thrown through that old building there before these two showed up."

"Fuck! I'd like to shove my swords through that man's cold black heart." Zen was absolutely furious that he had almost been made to go back there as a slave, again.

"I've filled Kaleb in, so we should be heading back to the guild. I'll fill you in on Lucy's plan once we have lunar jumped there."

"You heard from Lucy?" Zen and Mira both excitedly exclaimed.

"Bix heard from Tink this morning, since she couldn't get a hold of angel boy. Sounds like she's bringing in more strays as well."

"Well lets get back, grab some food while we listen to the plans and head out to bring her home!" They were gathering around Cristoff when the ground began to shake and rumble. The four mages watched as a building blew up showering the streets with rubble, while flames licked at the building's base.

"Lucy just pulled a Natsu, didn't she?" the She-Devil smirked as the two slayers nodded their heads. "Well lets head in that direction. I'm sure we'll meet up with the other teams the closer we get." They met Natsu's at the site of the explosion and watched as he ate all of the flames, followed by Thane teleporting his team and Emzadi solar jumping with her team to the location. Vander showed up with his team shortly after and lastly Laxus' team arrived via his lightning.

From within the flames they saw someone emerge covered in dirt, barely any clothing, and matted hair. She was huffing slightly while throwing her cuffs off to the side. She hesitantly walked up to the group of mages, scared out her mind an very thirsty from inhaling all that smoke.

"Are any or you Bickslow, Cobra or Kaleb?" her quiet voice asked as she shivered from all of there intense stares.

"That would be the two of us." Kaleb motioned to himself, Cobra, and Bickslow as they made their way to the front of the group.

"Lucy said that I needed to talk to any of you because one can read minds and other two can read souls. She figured you'd be skeptical about who I am and would want to ensure I was to be rescued." The woman was playing with the hem on what was left of her skirt.

"Ayala," said woman's head snapped up as she looked into Kaleb's bright eyes. "Lucy was right, but you have no reason to fear us now. Cana can you help our new guest into some decent clothes, since I know you packed several things for Lucy just in case." The brunette smiled and directed Ayala out of everyone's sight so that she could change.

"I can't hear Tink yet."

"If I have my way you'll never hear again!" Sorano stood at the top of a building adjacent to the one that was smoking. She had a knife pressed to her throat, but you could tell that she had already beaten Lucy by the discolored blotches on her skin and the small trails of blood. Lucy wasn't even putting up a fight.

"You better plan on letting my mate go you vile bitch!" Cristoff roared and he went to launch himself at her.

"Ah, ah, ah. Come any closer and I plunge this lovely knife into her pretty lil neck before you can blink." Everyone froze at the demented mage's threats. "I don't see the pink eyed brat anywhere. Did she get herself killed while trying to escape?"

"I'm right here Sorano."

"YASMINE!" Ayala yelled out to the healer. Kaleb let everyone know that this was the second woman that Lucy had been referring too.

"You managed to beat your sister did you? Such a shame, but I guess she ended up being the weak one now didn't she." The angel mage smiled. "Madara's plans shouldn't go to waste though. Afterall the reward on capturing such men is plentiful. Isn't that right your majesty." Sorano looked over her shoulder as another woman joined her on the rooftop.

"Sydelle!" Farron spat her name. Several eyes widened in understanding that they were starring at the Joyan Warqueen.

"Ambassador Farron. Will you willingly hand over all of your male slayers, since you know there is no way you can win this battle?"

"We will never follow you!" Kaleb glared at the two women.

"Kaleb." She licked her lips as her eyes wondered over his form. "You turned out just like they thought you would. I curse the day that your father got involved in shutting down the slave market you were found in. You were to be my pleasure slave, but that was ripped from me. Now you and all those delicious slayers will become our pleasure slaves and be used to breed our strongest warriors. I tire of waiting Sorano." Sydelle wanted her to kill the mage so that their grief would overtake them and make them easy targets. Sorano kissed Lucy's cheek before plunging the knife into her heart and pushing the body off the building and watching her lifelessly fall to the ground. The two guilds watched in stunned silence as Lucy was murdered and tossed away like a rag doll.

However neither Sorano or Queen Sydelle were prepared for what happened next. Natsu burst into flames and shot off towards the two women effectively knocking Sorano out since she could move out of the way fast enough and was trading blows with the Joyan woman. Her years of combat training made her ready for anything and she was well prepared for an attack at any moment.

Her warriors jumped out from where they were hiding and engaged the remaining mages on the ground. These women were quick on their feet and dodged most long range magic attacks, however they were not prepared to face a warrior mage whom had the ability to reflect their attacks back at the caster. Yasmine was trying her hardest to throw barriers around the more deadly reflective attacks, but there were so many being thrown back at once that she wasn't able to cover each individual and a blanket barrier could only withstand so much and she was low on magic power as it was.

They were losing the battle. They all knew that they were and in their grief none of them seemed to care. Natsu was thrown down with enough force that he created a crater. Everyone waited for the fire dragon slayer to get back up, but the lost look in his eyes told them all that he was finished. Cristoff went after the Warqueen, his dragon's intention to kill the evil woman who had a hand in his mates death. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he threw punch after punch all the while listening to her warriors goad his family and friends. One woman cackled as she told Farron that Kurino was so looking forward to claiming him, while another stated that she would breed with Zen before tossing him back into the depths of Pergrande.

"There's no use in fighting the inevitable," Sydelle mocked to the lunar slayers face. "None of you have the will to live if that one silly girl is dead. Pity though, since she would have made a great warrior in my ranks." Cristoff landed a kick to her abdomen and looked back towards the battlefield. Everyone was wearing down too fast, even himself. He could feel his magic leaving him with every lunar attack he sent her way.

"How are you draining us?"

"Figured it out have you? Dragon slayers have immense amounts of magic, as you well know, and can gain more by eating or basking in their element. I have contracted a mage from Madara's ranks whom can slowly drain any mage's powers when they are in use. It makes bringing all of you down so much easier."

"Bitch!"

"That's no way to talk to your future queen, but breaking you will be so much fun." She kicked Cristoff into a building and continued to walk past him to where her warriors were almost victorious. The poison slayer was proving to be the most annoying out of all the slayers since his gas couldn't be reflected back against him and she knew she had lost several of her warriors to his toxins. He was back to back with the blonde slayer and the seith mage as the worked together to fight of their enemies advances.

"Give up slayers! Come with me now and I will spare the lives your fallen comrades."

"Never!" Natsu crawled out of his crater and inhaled some flames from a nearby burning house. "Fairy Tail doesn't know how to give up. This is for LUCE!" Those able to fight rallied against their opponents for one last hurrah.

"Zorn! What are you doing here?" Ayala whispered, puzzled to see the gravity mage using his magic to push them all into the ground. He had a crazed look in his eyes as he he made his way to where the Warqueen stood.

"You have about five minutes to knock out the slayers and load them onto your airship before my magic runs out. I expect the money to be in my account within minutes of you leaving this place." Mages were passing out all around him as the gravitational force made it hard to breathe.

"Greedy son of a bitch!" Spat Yasmine from her place on the ground. "You went behind Madara's back and caused all of this."

"I informed Sorano of Master's plans to use Tobit to trick her with an illusion. Sorano didn't take that lightly and killed Tobit before finishing the job that you were unable to do and ending our dear Master's life. Queen Sydelle was already in the guild when that went down and promised Sorano she could still have her revenge and I would be a rich man when I left." Everyone was down and out, but Yasmine was using a barrier to keep herself awake for as long as possible.

"That's not very nice treating Princess's friends like that. You deserve to be punished."

"Virgo!" Yasmine yelled in delight, which meant if she was here than Lucy wasn't . . .

"How are you alive! And how did you happen upon a dragon egg?" screamed Queen Sydelle and Lucy just smiled not willing to reveal anything.

"For what you have done here today and what you were trying to do to my family you will not like where I am sending you. Death is far to good for any of you!" Glaring glowing eyes stared at the queen before looking at all of her friends. Sydelle whistled and a discreet guard of 5 joined her along with a very dopey Jaccard, whom tr5ansported then away in his orb. Zorn hog tied thanks to Virgo, some of the warriors were trying make off with her dragon kin, and Sorano was being handcuffed by Capricorn. The remaining dark guild members were making their way out and had nothing good in mind for her family.

Lucy looked down at the egg in her hand and could feel it's warmth before she nuzzled it with her cheek. Tears fell onto its hard surface as she looked skyward. She was hoping that this spell would work and that this wouldn't hurt the egg since she couldn't keep it in the celestial world. A hand gently rubbed her tear stained cheek as she looked into Leo's blue eyes. Her tears stilled as he nodded his head and squared her shoulders. Lucy took a deep breath and called forth all of her power causing a large celestial magic circle appeared in darkening sky. Her entire form erupted in light as her three spirits went back home, she found her inner strength and pulled from it.

"CELESTIAL CLEANSING!"


	16. Chapter 15

After the last chapter I didn't want to leave you all hanging too long, so I'm making sure that I update this sooner rather than later. Thanks for all the awesome reviews and hello to all of the new followers of the story! Hope everyone continues to enjoy this story, because I am having fun writing it.

I have also been playing with the idea of writing something for CoLu week in June - what are all of your thoughts on this?

* * *

Loke, along with the rest of Lucy's spirits, watched from the Eclipse Pond as the three girls started their escape plan. They were all ready and waiting should Lucy call them once her keys were back or imminent danger was upon the group of three women so they could open their own gates to assist them. The leader of the zodiac was incredibly proud of Lucy's plan, however he was hesitant to hide a crucial part of it from the earth dragon slayer and the barrier mage. Lucy picked the locks of all their cuffs and collars with the needle that Yasmine still had in her jacket pocket, followed by Virgo digging under the magically warded room because there were no protections on the flooring. Whomever designed that room apparently didn't think that warding the floor was important, which worked well in the girl's favor.

They were going to split up - Yasmine was going to get Lucy's keys from Tobit, Ayala was going to find the egg since she was able to sense it being it's guardian, and Lucy was going to cause the distraction, Natsu style. The viewing pool split into three different segments, each following a different mage as they each made their ways down the corridors. The dark guild was very quiet, which meant they were either waiting for the girls to escape or something bigger was at play.

Yasmine literally ran into Tobit as she rounded a corner, knocking the illusion mage flat on his back, so she threw a barrier over his body and kept him in place. Tobit struggled to move within the tight shield as Yasmine cockily smiled down at him.

"How does it feel to be knocked on your ass and trapped you dick!" Yasmine wrapped her hand and forearm in another barrier so that she could penetrate the one he was trapped in without his being able to grab her and unhooked Lucy's keys from his leather belt then tucked them into her jacket pocket. "It's time for a nap now." She felt a twinge of guilt after putting the mage to sleep, but shook it off to place an invisibility barrier him while he slept for the next several hours. Yasmine took off towards Madara's office to help Ayala look for the egg, and if everything goes well then meet up with Lucy as well.

Lucy had just finished gathering some dynamite from the storage room, that was surprisingly unguarded and easy to access. Not that she was going to complain! The girls had decided that the best place to cause the explosion was the kitchen, which was on the opposite side of the building from Madara's office. Lucy was going to plant all the explosives and then have Gemi and Mini transform into Natsu to light all of the sticks. _I have two boxes of fifty sticks, so I think that'll be enough to pull a Natsu and notify everyone where we are at._ Lucy diligently placed the sticks throughout the kitchen before warding all access point from having anyone enter and be killed during the explosion. She may not like the guild, but she didn't want to cause unnecessary harm to people whom may be innocent like Yasmine. Happy with her work she took off towards the dark guild master's base of operations to meet up with her two partners in crime.

Ayala had made it to the master's office and used her magic to create a key of earth to enter the office. She tossed a coin into the office that Yasmine had spelled to detect any traps, barriers, or hidden runes within the room. Runes flared to life as Ayala tossed a second coin that Lucy has spelled to deter any rune magic for the next hour - give or take. She could feel the dragon eggs aura somewhere in the room and began looking for clues as to where it could be. Her senses were bringing her to a bookshelf as she started sniffing to see if Madara's scent lingered on any of the books. She smiled when she came across a book that smelled heavily of immobility mage. _Dragon and Dragon Slayer Tatsu's - how fitting. I think I will take this book with me and give to the Dragon Queen once I find her._ Pulling the book out of the shelf the entire shelf slid to the right.

"Ayala!" Said mage turned around to smile at the pink eyed healer. "How goes it?"

"I found the hidden passage way. Should we wait for Lucy or continue without her?"

"I think we should go for it. You never know you'll pop up or try to stop us." The two mages started down the spiral staircase to come upon a lone door. Yasmine tossed a coin this time causing several runes and a barrier to be shown. Yasmine rested her hand on the barrier trying to get a sense of what type it was and what the runes were.

"It's a defensive barrier that alerts the owner that someone has been attempting to get in. Add the poison runes that will more than likely cause death and you've got quite the combination. I can dispel the barrier, but the runes I have no idea about."

"I dabbled in rune magic while at the temple since it gave us something to use and practice because the temple was so quiet. Can you get me into the barrier to rewrite them?" The women worked together and after several tense minutes were able to open the door and pass through without any recourse. There in the center of the small room was the brilliant dragon egg and the two mage grinned at each other. Ayala went to pick up the egg, but Yasmine pulled her back as it glowed gold.

"It's not a barrier that was placed on the egg, but rather the egg is creating it's own barrier. I have never seen anything quite like it before, so be careful." Yasmine bit her lip as she watched Ayala's hand slowly make it's way to the egg. The egg started to spark and sent a zap towards the earth dragon slayer who grounded herself so the bolt could pass through her body.

"How the hell are we supposed to move the egg if it shocks everyone?" Ayala groaned in defeat after trying to touch the egg for the third time.

"It needs the Dragon Queen." Lucy said from behind the two mages causing them to scream and jump into each others arms. Lucy giggled at their antics as they blushed and moved away from one another.

"But we don't even know where she is!" Ayala blew her bangs from her eyes exasperatedly, but continued to watch as Lucy walked towards the egg and gently lifted it from it's silk cushion with a brilliant smile on her face.

"Hello little one." Lucy whispered to the egg as she gazed at the surprised look on her friend's faces. "Ah . . . surprise?"

"My Queen!" Ayala dropped to one knee bowing in front of Lucy.

"Ayala quit! We don't have time for this right now and I will answer all your questions later, I promise! We need to get out of here before someone catches on to what's happening." The three mages ran up the stair and raced out of Madara's office and through the corridor that led to the side entrance.

"Madara is coming. I can smell her heading towards us. When is the guild supposed to explode?" Ayala halted and asked the other two.

"I've got my sister! You two keep going and get to safety and I'll meet up when I am able too." Yasmine smiled while ushering them forward. Lucy looked over her shoulder once more before turning a corner and losing sight of her as Ayala dragged her onward.

"Yasmine. What are you doing wandering around this part of the guild?" Madara's purple eyes widened in surprise seeing her sister before her.

"Who's the pink eyed freak?" Sorano asked coming out from behind Madara as Yasmine glared at the white haired mage.

"Our guild healer, but she is very far from the medical bay. Wouldn't you say Yasmine?" The glowering gaze Yasmine was receiving had her quaking in her shoes, but she refused to let it show. The floor started to rattled, rumble and intensified with every second before the three mages were knocked to the floor as an explosion rocked through the guild. Smiling, Yasmine looked at the puzzled mages before her and through a barrier around the two.

"Sorry to say but Lucy, Ayala, and myself are escaping this hell hole you call a guild. We'll be taking back our freedom and when the Rune Knights show up it'll be your turn to rot in a cell, dear sister." Madara tried breaking the barrier with a magical blade she kept on her at all times, but nothing happened. "How do you like my impenetrable barrier? Only a force of great magic can break it or until the time restraint is up, but by then you'll be locked away. I had hoped that you'd change one day and we could start life anew, but the darkness has twisted your heart and I know that there's no coming back from that for you. I am sorry." A tear rolled down her cheek as she turned away to follow Lucy and Ayala.

"Yasmine!" Said mage continued forward without a backwards glance.

"Well this is pointless and you are utterly useless. Tell me where Lucy is locked up so I can get to her before your sister!"

"Dungeons. Cell 4A," whispered Madara, before pain ripped through her chest. She looked down to see her own blade buried beneath her breast as blood leaked from the wound. Her wide eyes looked at Sorano who was standing there grinning.

"The Warqueen and I made our own deal guild master and you're no longer part of the deal." The angel mage conjured her Punching Angel, who was exceptionally muscular and made of blue white feathers, shattered the barrier after three hits. "Thanks for keeping Lucy locked up for me. I'll be sure to let your sister know of your untimely death." Sorano laughed as she walked around Madara's body and continued to the dungeon.

Loke fisted his hands on the edge of the Eclipse Pond and growled as he watched that scene unfold. If Lucy's plan worked then that evil mage would be stuck in the celestial prison for the rest of her short life, especially if Scorpio, Aries and Gemini had anything to say about it. Their abuse while they were contracted to her was even more awful than what he and Aries had experienced under Karen's command.

"Big Brother! Look!" Leo focused on the pond as Yasmine handed Lucy her keys, but the secondary explosion rocked through the guild and he watched as Lucy fell through the cratering floor, Yasmine was tossed out an open window to Mavis only knows where, and Ayala was thrown through a wall but in the general direction of Lucy's family. Aries had opened her own gate and created a wool bed for Lucy to land on, before returning back to the other spirits. They all sighed in relief as the watched Lucy and the egg land unharmed.

Lucy summoned Gemini once she was back on her feet and explained her plan to the twins. She needed them to be an exact replica of her, even after Sorano stabbed the spirit. Lucy promised that she would hold onto the spirit to ensure that they didn't disappear the moment she was killed. Sorano needed to believe that she had won, to be off guard enough to be caught within her spell.

"You don't have to do this Gemi, Mini. I will understand if you decided to say no." Lucy smiled at the twins as they transformed into her.

"We will gladly help you on this mission Princess. Nothing would make us happier than keeping you safe and ensuring that your family doesn't fall into their evil plot." Lucy looked puzzled at that. "Leo will explain what he overheard that dark angel mage rambling on about on her way to the cell. Speaking of which I need to be going." The twins put on the fake shackles that Virgo had replicated and pooffed out to the cell.

Lucy called Pyxis to help navigate her way out. She could hear the battle raging outside and felt all the pain that Sorano was inflicting on Gemini, but she pushed through all of that and clutched the egg closer to her. _Leo can you come out please?_ The lion walked beside her in comfortable silence and held onto her as Gemini's torture worsened. Lucy squeezed her eyes shut, tears escaping, as she funneled more power to her spirit to keep up the facade.

 _We are almost out of here Princess, but we are going to be further from the battle than you had originally anticipated due to the fall you took._ Pyxis chirped to Lucy and Leo, while the pair nodded their heads and slowly continued forward resting every so often.

"Gemini said you overheard a conversation with Sorano and an unknown woman? More evil plotting?"

"Sorano killed Madara after Yasmine had left them trapped in a barrier." Lucy gasped covering her mouth in horror. "She has made a deal with the Joyan Warqueen, Sydelle. She was gloating about her plan on her way to the cell, so I followed her. It's worse than we though Princess. Sydelle is going to capture all of the male slayers and keep them as breeding mules for her warriors, while she sells Zen back to Pergrande. She plans on having her warriors kill all the others, or taking the strongest female mages back to be brainwashed to be her soldiers. Sorano is getting a cut and will become a member of Sydelle's court, with the hope of breeding to one of Fairy Tail's slayers."

"Over my dead fucking body she will!"

"Urano Metria won't work anymore Princess." Leo watched as her eyes widened and she began trying to come up with another plan to save her family.

"What do I do Loke?" she broke down in his arms as they entered a heavily treed area and Pyxis returned.

"You're going to have to cleanse the area Lucy."

"Then you need to take the egg, so that I don't hurt it!"

"I can't take to the celestial world Lucy. It won't survive there because it Draco isn't released yet and he's the only one besides you whom can touch it." Leo sighed as he watched Lucy chew her lips.

"Will the spell hurt it?"

"We don't know. It's never been performed before." Lucy nodded and they continued on towards the battle. Lucy felt when a blade pierced Gemini Lucy's heart, screaming she collapsed to the ground in pain. _I need to focus my powers on Gemini for a while to make sure they don't fade back to the celestial world. PROTECT your family Lucy._ That became her new mantra for the next minute, or five, or ten, she wasn't sure. Lucy was finally able to breathe again she sat up at looked at Leo knowingly.

"Twenty minutes Princess. We need to hurry, because you're family isn't taking your death so well." Leo picked Lucy and the egg up bridal style and ran towards the battle, but neither were prepared for the look of utter defeat on everyone's faces. However leave it up to Natsu to try to rally the group as he shot out of the crater he was in.

"Leo I need you to return and send out Virgo. Tell her she needs to take out the trash." Leo flashed her a toothy smile before heading back. Virgo would have every enemy knocked on their ass shortly, while she contemplated using Celestial Cleansing. The spell was comparable to Fairy Law, a bright golden light would envelop the area and inflict massive damage on whoever Lucy perceived was as an enemy, leaving friends and bystanders completely unharmed. Everyone that Lucy deemed unworthy to be saved would end up in the Celestial Prison until their death, with Centarus and Corvus as the wardens.

"That's not very nice treating Princess's friends like that. You deserved to be punished." "Virgo!" Lucy heard Yasmine yell out Virgo whom was taking great joy in trashing her opponents. Lucy walked out of the flames from a nearby building and smiled as the Warqueen became pissed at her being alive with a dragon egg in her arms.

"For what you have done here today and what you were trying to do to my family you will not like where I am sending you. Death is far too kind for any of you!" Lucy glared as Sydelle and a handful of her followers left with Jaccard, but couldn't help the smirk at seeing Capricorn tie Sorano up. Lucy looked down at the egg in her hand and prayed to Mavis and Draco that she'd save her family and not injury the tiny dragon in her arms. Taking a deep breath and focused on what she needed to do to end this right here, right now.

"CELESTIAL CLEANSING!" A large magic circle appeared in the sky and what appeared to be falling stars descended from the circle and pierced the heart of every living being there. Lucy was able to see into their hearts and knew whom to send to the celestial dungeons and whom to heal. Before anyone knew it the spell was complete and they were all in a healing slumber, but the egg in her hands grew hot and Lucy started to panic.

"LEO!" The lion looked at his princess, then too the egg with large eyes. He grabbed hold of her and transported her away from the battlefield.

* * *

Wendy woke with a start, gasping for air. She no longer felt like she was being suffocated and as she looked over herself she knew that nothing was broken or bleeding, but she couldn't figure out why. The bluenette looked around and saw Vander's red hair not far from her so she ran over to him to make sure he was alright. A giggle escaped her lips as she heard soft snoring coming from the shadowquip mage. She was going to have to tell Mira that Cana and Vander hadn't hooked up at all during this mission, and she hoped the She-Devil wouldn't be angry with her.

Wendy heard a groan and saw Gajeel sit up rubbing his head, followed by several other groans and grunts as everyone started to come too. She noticed the two newcomers were huddled around one another while Kaleb was helping Mira to stand. Everyone looked alright to Wendy, besides the fact they could all do with a bath after their ordeal. However she couldn't see Lucy anywhere. _I was positive it was here I heard calling out that spell before I passed out._

"You're not wrong there shorty. It was definitely Lucy." Cobra said as he made his way over the the youngest slayer.

"You do realize that I am taller than you now Cobra?"

"Sassy little things aren't you. I think we should be friends." Vander slid an arm around Wendy's shoulders with a smirk on his face that Wendy returned.

"Like fuck you are going to corrupt our little sister!" Laxus full on glared at Vander.

"Don't worry Laxy Waxy. I won't corrupt her body, just her mind." Vander cackled gleefully as he pulled Wendy into his void to avoid the bolt Laxus sent there way. "I think you're getting slow in your old age." Vander appeared with Lucy beside Kaleb and Mira, with Wendy trying to hide her giggles behind her hand.

"So Luce saved our asses? How is she alive and where is she?" Natsu asked after pulled Gray out of his own crater.

"Well according to bubblegum eyes over there she released a spell called Celestial Cleansing that healed all of us and sent our enemies to Mavis knows where. Then a lion showed up and whisked her off somewhere." Cobra said shaking the dirt off of his jacket.

"So we lost her again?" Sighed Cana as she plunked down on a rock beside Freed and Bickslow.

"Do not fret friends of Miss Lucy," Capricorn said as he walked through his gate. "She is alive and well. If you gather around I will explain all that has happened, with Miss Ayala and Miss Yasmine's help where necessary."

"Who are these two chicks?" Bickslow asked as he eyed each of them up.

"Miss Yasmine is a talented barrier and healing mage, while Miss Ayala is an Earth Dragon Slayer." Several gasps were heard after the announcement of another dragon slayer.

"Another dragon slayer! FIGHT ME!" Natsu roared and he got all fire up. Erza knocked him on the head and reprimanded him for his actions.

"You have to be Natsu. There's no doubt with how Lucy described you." Yasmine giggled to herself, causing the fire slayer to blush. Capricorn explained Lucy's plan and everything that transpired on her end of things, with Ayala and Yasmine filling in the gaps where they were involved. Everyone stood stock still as they took in everything that had been said and the fact that Lucy was very much alive. The power that was needed to hold open Gemini's gate and perform the cleansing spell were impressive to say the least.

"Where is she now Capricorn? I'd like to see my mate if possible." Cristoff needed to hold Lucy in his arms and make sure she was alright. Everything that had occurred the last few days had left him angry and sleep deprived. The need to mate Lucy was overwhelming and he was hoping that she wouldn't deny him too much longer.

"There was a . . . minor complication after Miss Lucy completed her spell. Miss Yasmine would you please erect a sound proof barrier?" Yasmine clasped her hands together and a light blue glow erupted from her hands and formed a dome over everyone.

"What kind of complication?" Cristoff all but glared at the goat spirit.

"Miss Lucy used so much magical power that she ended up . . . hatching . . . the egg."

"I didn't think that could happen unless Draco was around? What's the hatchling look like? What kind of a dragon is it?" Questions were being fired at Capricorn faster than he could answer. Thankfully Laxus hollered and everyone went quiet.

"How about you let Capricorn finish his story before you all bombard him with questions. We're all curious now shut the hell up!"

"Thank you Mr Laxus. What the Spirit King and I have concluded is that Miss Lucy used so much of her magical power that she was able to hatch the egg before Draco could be summoned. Lucy has to use her celestial magic to hatch the eggs as it is, but she'd never have to use so much is Draco was around because she'd be funneling it through him using his stardress form." Capricorn explained. "Leo has taken Lucy to Nurem's cave, the same one she would reside in on occasion that's a short ways from Pelerno. I am going to assume that all the Pradesh family members remember where it is?" They all nodded their heads to let Capricorn know that they were aware.

"So what kind of dragon did Tink hatch?"

"We were all under the impression that a live dragon would be in each of the eggs, but we are all mistaken." Capricorn wasn't quite sure how to explain this part, but luckily Leo popped in and told Capricorn he'd take it from here and that Virgo was helping Lucy at the moment.

"Capricorn was right. We were all led to believe that within each egg was a dragon and that with Draco's guidance dragon's would once again roam this land. However this was not the case, nor was it ever." Loke looked at every single mage here and they were all waiting with baited breath. "It has come to our attention that during the original battle with Acnologia, 400 years ago, hatchling eggs were hidden by Draco to be kept safe. He has told us there are five eggs to be found each with a unique magic that only Lucy can open."

"What aren't cha telling us lion cub?" Gajeel narrowed his red eyes at the spirit.

"It's not a dragon hatchlings inside the eggs . . . it's dragon slayer hatchlings."


	17. Chapter 16

Leo was watching the shocked looked on everyone's faces at the news of the dragon slayer hatchlings with a smile on his face. He still had no idea why it was happening the way it was, but to have a new slayer that had bonded to Lucy made all of her spirits ridiculously happy. They all knew that she'd make an amazing mother, after all she did put up with Natsu and Happy for YEARS. One day they hoped that Lucy would be pregnant with her own child, so that all her spirits could remain with her line.

"Dad is going to flip shit when he finds out. Congrats on your promotion to Dad, Cris." The look of utter shock caused Vander to fall of the rock he was sitting on in laughter. "If you're not careful Dad will have you Promised and wed before you get the chance to mate." Cristoff groaned running his hand down his face in frustration.

"Dad will be too busy spoiling his new grandchild to think that far ahead . . . hopefully." Farron said with a side glance at Cristoff.

"When can I go see Lucy and our new hatchling? It's going to have to bond to me as well as her mate, and I'd rather do that sooner than later."

"Lucy has requested that you and Laxus go the cave and that everyone else is to head back to Pelerno. She'll explain what's going on to Laxus whom can relay it to several people once he's back." Leo stated while glaring at Natsu whom looked like he was about to argue with his Princesses wishes.

"She's safe flametard and until she's ready to bring the hatchling back we will make due. Besides we have our own mates to attend to, so I highly doubt we'll good company for a few days." Gajeel smirked at the fire slayer as he caught on. "We'll see you two in a couple days. Shadow fuck! Let's get the hell outta here." The mages all paired up with someone whom could transport them long distances in the blink of an eye and group by group they headed out.

"I'm going to let Princess know that you're on your way." Loke adjusted his glasses and left in a brilliant gold light.

"Fucking show off," grumbled Laxus as he turned to face Cristoff. "You ok man?"

"I just became a Dad and we haven't even had sex yet." Laxus outright laughed at the poor lunar slayer before Cristoff joined in. "I had come to terms with being her mate and helping her with finding the Alpha Keys, protecting spirits, and finding the dragon eggs however this new twist makes me more nervous than I have ever been in my life. I don't even have nine months to prepare myself! The moment we leave there won't be any turning back."

"Take all the time you need Cris. I'm sure Blondie will be alright with you needing a few to get your act together." Laxus was glad he wasn't in the lunar slayers shoes. He and Emzadi had decided to wait a year before they tried for any children and he was thankful for that decision at this very moment. He watched his soon to be brother-in-law pace back and forth as he went over everything.

Cristoff was trying to figure out how this was going to work. Would they need baby furniture, clothes, diapers? How were they going to feed it? What if it didn't like him? How was he supposed to prepare for any of this? He plopped himself on the nearest boulder with his head in his hands taking several deep breaths. _Our mate needs us._ Those four words cleared all of his hesitations. Lucy was alone and dealing with this by herself while he pitied himself for what was happening. She needed him. It was just that simple and he planned to be there to support her and they'd take this one day at a time. Cristoff stood up, squared his shoulders and was ready to take on the world.

"Grab hold Laxus. I'll take us to my mother's cave and once you're ready you can head back to the guild from there." The two slayers moon jumped to just outside the mouth of the cave. They couldn't hear anything from the outside of the cave so they went in to investigate. They could hear a soft humming the closer they got to the back of the cave. Virgo and Leo turned to greet the two slayers with smiles on their faces as they parted so that they could see their master. Lucy was humming as she swayed back and forth with her back to her onlookers. Virgo must have brought new clothes for Lucy as she stood in a pair of sweats and a crop top.

"Lucy . . ." Cristoff whispered in case the hatchling was sleeping. She looked over her shoulder with a smile are her chocolate orbs met his before turning around. Laxus and Cristoff's eyes became saucers as they realized that the child in Lucy's arms looked to me at least six months old. There was a tuff of dark blue grey hair on the child's head as he slept peacefully in Lucy's arms.

"Virgo and I think that he's a rain dragon slayer, but I'm hoping the two of you will be able to sense his magic better than we can." Cristoff and Laxus quietly walked forward and smelled the little boy.

"He smells like Laxus, but yet it's different." Cristoff couldn't put his finger on what it though.

"He's a storm dragon slayer. He smells like my magic mixed with Juvia's which makes sense." Laxus smiled at Lucy whom had started humming again. "Have you thought of any names yet?" Lucy shook her head no.

"I was waiting for Cris and was hoping he'd help me name him. I've been thinking about a Boscon names based on words like sky, rain, clouds but none seem to fit."

"How about Noelani? It means heavenly mist?"

"What do you think about Noelani my sweet boy?" Lucy looked down to see canary yellow eyes peering into hers before bubble filled giggles filled the cave and Cristoff walked over to Lucy. "Would you like to meet your daddy Noelani?" The hatchling looked at Cristoff before letting out a quiet whine which he returned with a content growl of his own. Noelani reached his arms towards so Lucy carefully placed him in Cristoff's arms. The tiny dragon slayer nuzzled his father's chest as Cristoff ran his nose across his child's forehead. He looked up at Lucy whom had tears in her eyes and a large smile on her face.

"Why don't we all sit down around the corner? Virgo has prepared a spot for us to eat and talk." They followed the blonde female to where Virgo had set up a table and three chairs. She had prepared several roasted chickens, a raspberry spinach salad with balsamic vinegar topped with almonds, and a large batch of mashed potatoes with gravy. On the far side of the table there were two peach cobbler pans for dessert. They all thank Virgo before she left and made themselves comfortable.

"So I was doing some meditating and talking with Draco about all of this. Dragons were dying left, right, and center because of Achnologia so several dragons decided to find children under the age of two to transfer their powers too making them all be first gen slayers." Lucy started to explain, but noticed Cristoff struggling to eat while holding Noelani. She grabbed the small child from him and continued on even with the strange looks the boys were giving her. "What? Happy sits in my lap constantly when I eat and in case you all forgot there are several children in Fairy Tail that I watch. This is easy peasy! Anyways, the dragons went to their queen for permission to hide the children in eggs, since dragon eggs are impermeable to time, and she granted their wishes. Draco also informed me that once we gather the other four eggs they will hatch whether he's around or not. It just depends on if they're ready or not, and if they are they'll react with my magic and pull on it until they hatch. Unfortunately little Noelani didn't have a choice since I had to save everyone with that spell."

"So did Draco say where any of the other eggs are at?" Laxus asked before shoveling a large amount of potatoes into his mouth.

"Actually he said that your dad knows of where one is and it shouldn't be too difficult for us to get. The other three eggs are not in Fiore or Bosco and that's all the stubborn dragon would tell me" Lucy huffed in annoyance. She still didn't understand why Draco didn't want her to know where the other three were located.

"Lucy are there any pieces of the shell left?" Cristoff asked as Lucy handed him a fragment from her backpack that was hanging on the back of her chair. "Laxus do you want to give this the father when you return? Maybe seeing this will spark some kind of memory."

"Not a problem."

"I can't wait to see how he reacts with you and Juvia once we get back to the guild. I wonder how his powers will develop. Oh! I should probably get Virgo to make him a bracelet so his powers don't hurt him or anyone else."

"Blondie." Laxus had a grim look on his face and Lucy knew that something was wrong, but waited patiently for him to continue. "Has anyone told you what happened to the guild when you were taken?" She slowly shook her head no. "The guild exploded and we lost Nab, Droy, and Vijeeter along with Gray and Juvia's child." Lucy covered her mouth with her free hand and closed her eyes suddenly feeling ill. They had lost three of their own along with an innocent child all because of Madara's plan to kill her and sell off her family. She felt Cristoff's arms envelope her as she continued to cry for her family.

"You avenged our fallen guild members Lucy," Laxus said trying to comfort her. He saw the slight nod of her head as she started to compose herself.

"Laxus will you return to everyone tonight to let them know we are ok? Then return tomorrow with an update on how everyone is doing, please?" Laxus couldn't say no to Lucy even if he tried and his small smile told her that he would. Virgo returned with a bassinet for the hatchling and cleaned up from supper while Lucy said goodbye to Laxus.

Cristoff hauled Lucy over to the queen size bed that Virgo had brought at some point in time. Noelani rested peacefully on his chest as Lucy cuddled up to his side with her head resting on his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head and she sighed, happy to be with her small family. Noelani nuzzled Cristoff's chest and whined while he slept. Cristoff growled soothingly to the child as he sent a wave of peace through him and Lucy.

"I know we haven't know each other long and we really haven't been intimate yet, but I couldn't imagine doing any of this without you Cristoff." Lucy kissed his shoulder to emphasize her point.

"I want you to be my mate still my beautiful star. My love for you hasn't changed."

"No just everything in our life has," Lucy giggled with Cristoff smiling at her. "I'd like to be your mate Cristoff, so maybe we can talk to your family when we get back and figure out what that looks like for us?" Lucy asked blushing.

"I'd like that a lot Lucy."

* * *

Laxus lightning traveled to Kaleb's office once he was at the entrance of the cave. Kaleb and Thane were in the middle of a meeting with Hewet so he took a seat in the lounge chair. _We'll be done in a few short minutes and then we can talk._ Laxus told him it wasn't a problem meanwhile he was trying to come up with a way to tell everyone without causing a huge commotion and disturbing Kaleb's guild. Maybe if he took them out back to the outdoor training field they wouldn't destroy any property? _Good idea Laxus. I'll have Bicklsow round everyone up and you can tell everyone one fell swoop. Farron and Free have already gone to explain everything to Father, so I'll relate everything to them._ Laxus made his way to the outdoors and met up with Evergreen, who was glowing.

"Hey Laxus. How have you been?"

"I'm good Ever. How are you and the mini Elfman feeling?" he teased the Fairy mage whom hit him with her fan.

"The little peanut and I are just fine. She's doesn't like to sit still for very long though."

"How much longer until you pop?"

"Ah . . . I think it's about ten weeks now. I'll be glad when I can see my feet again." They both laughed as they parted ways upon entering the grounds.

"Ya Ayala!" Laxus called to the earth dragon slayer that was flirting with Bickslow. She turned towards hims and he couldn't believe how different she looked now that she was able to clean up. Her long brown green ombre hair was pulled away from her face and tumbled down her back and her curvy form was accentuated by a purple crop top and dark wash jean shorts. He watched as Bickslow's gaze followed her as she strolled up to him.

"What can I do for you?" she politely asked.

"Would you be able to create a small stadium for me to stand on so that I can talk to everyone and then return it to the way it was? I don't want to damage the guild grounds."

"Not a problem." She smiled at him and created three foot tall dirt box for him to stand on and returned to talk to the seith mage that had captured her attention. Thane handed Laxus a lacrima to talk into so that everyone could hear him.

"Listen up!" Laxus called to all of the mages in attendance. "By now most of you are aware about what has transpired while we were looking for Lucy, as well as hearing about the egg hatching. I'm here to fill in the blanks in the stories. Yes the egg hatched and no it's not a dragon, but a dragon slayer. Lucy is it's mother and Cristoff will be it's father since he's Blondie's mate. His name in Noelani, he's roughly six months old, and he is a storm dragon slayer. Are there any other questions?"

"When will Luce be back?"

"Should be back in a couple days. The hatchling needs time to bond to his new parents."

"Where are they staying? We could get everything ready for them so they don't have to worry about it when the return." Mirajane suggested with stars in her eyes.

"They'll be staying at the estate with our father until further notice. As will the rest of my family and their partners to free up some space for everyone else that's here." Kaleb stated to the crowd.

"Mira I will introduce you to Arman later tonight and you two can plot away." Laxus cringed internally as he saw the look on Mira's face, regretting the words as soon as they left his mouth.

"Is Tink alright? I mean after the fight and having motherhood pushed on her?" Laxus looked at Cobra whom had Kinana tucked safely against him.

"Blondie's perfectly fine. She'll handle this just like she does everything else. Now if there's nothing else I'd like to shower and get a good night's rest and so should the rest of you."

* * *

Farron and Freed had just entered the Pradesh family estate as Kaleb filled them in on everything that he had heard from Laxus and that they'd all be returning to the estate in an hour or so. The two mages conversed quietly on the topic while they made their way to Arman's study, each hypothesizing on the elder Pradesh's reaction to the news.

"Dad will squeal in delight and demand to see the child immediately, but will pout when he realizes he has to wait a few days."

"I think your father will be stunned for moment before wanting to know where the three of them are at. I agree that he will pout upon hearing he has to wait, but I also think he'll be determined to have everything in place for when they do come home." Farron knocked on the door to his father's study before entering.

"Farron. Freed. I take it that the rescue mission was a success?" Arman put his pen down and gave his full attention to the boys.

"Lucy is safe with Cristoff at the moment. Things started out alright, but turned bad fast and thankfully Lucy saved all of us." Farron explained everything that had happened and watched his father's face harden when he mentioned Sydelle was a part of the plot and wanted the slayers just to breed her warriors. Arman cursed at that and would be putting a few phone calls in the morning. They explained Lucy's Celestial Cleansing spell and how it worked, almost too well.

"How do you mean Farron?"

"Lucy hatched the egg Arman and inside was a six months old dragon slayer that has bonded to Lucy and Cristoff." Freed and Farron waited for the man's reaction to such news. A goofy grin spread across his face and he couldn't help but laugh in excitement.

"When do I get to meet my grandchild?"

"You will meet Noelani in a couple days, once he's bonded with Lucy and Cris." Farron watched as his father deflated for a moment before a light bulb went off.

"That will give me time to get adoption papers ready and ensure that the room is ready with everything that they'll need."

"The mage that Kaleb is interested in, Mirajane, is also hoping to surprise Lucy in the same manner you are. She'll be here tonight when everyone else arrives." Freed could hear the cogs working in Arman's head.

"I am most interested in meeting the She-Devil. Go and tell Mr. Elan that we will be having quiet a crew here for the foreseeable future and ask if he'd bring out the spiced wine and snacks for everyone. I need to get a couple of things in order and I'll be out to greet everyone soon." Farron and Freed left to do his bidding and Arman sank into his chair letting everything sink in. _I'm going to be a grandfather, finally!_


	18. Chapter 17

Sorry for the wait but work was fairly busy this week, but this chapter is finally ready to go. Hope everyone enjoys it and I will post another one in a few days. Cheers!

* * *

Gray sat beside Juvia's bed in one of the many rooms at the White Sea guild watching her as she continued to sleep. Cristoff had healed Juvia physically but the mental strain from losing their baby was playing on her mind. Kaleb had advised that they shouldn't disturb her in case they caused more harm since she was in such a fragile state. He had used his anger to fuel him during Lucy's rescue and the fight that ensued when they thought she had died, but now - now he was a hollow man that had lost his unborn child while praying to Mavis that his love would recover enough to open her beautiful ocean blue eyes. He was utterly and hopelessly lost. He was hoping Lucy would be back soon to help where she could, because he needed her - needed his little sister's light to shine in such a frozen and forsaken land that his heart had become.

The ice mage slumped forward in his chair and began to cry. Cried over the loss of their guild and guild mates. Cried for his baby and wife. Cried for not being strong enough to protect her. Life sure had a shitty way of taking away the people he cared about - his parents, Ur, Ultear, his father for a second time, and now all of this shit. _It isn't fuckn' fair!_ He needed to work through some of this because he knew that Juvia would need him once she woke up, but damn if he wasn't wanting to go out and kill something. Logically he knew it wouldn't make a difference, but all of these feelings were overwhelming him. He wished he could go back in time and change what had happened, but again that wouldn't solve anything.

Gray felt a hand on his shoulder and looked into the familiar chocolate eyes of his family. Her eyes were filled with unshed tears before she pulled him into her arms. The tears that he thought had dried up started spilling down his reddened cheeks. He let all of his sorrow out as Lucy cradled him close and just let him do what he needed to do, grieve. He was grateful she didn't say anything in that moment even though he knew that she wanted too. Eventually the tears stopped and his head cleared enough to form a rational thought.

"What are you doing here? Laxus said you needed time to bond and that you'd be back in a few days."

"I was told about what happened to the guild then you and Juvia. The more I thought about it how hurt and alone you must be the more anxious I became. Cristoff called his father to see if we could stay with him so that I could take care of my family. Needless to say that Arman was more that agreeable to that arrangement." Lucy snorted at that causing Gray to chuckle. "I'm partly to blame in all of this since it was me they were after again."

"Lucy you can't be serious! If it weren't for you then our family would be enslaved, dead, or wishing they were dead. Bad things happen to us all the time and this sucks a hell of a lot more than normal, but no blames you sis. I don't!"

"I . . . I feel like a failure though. All these . . . these things I'm supposed to do for everyone and I couldn't protect an innocent child. How the hell am I supposed to be a queen and protect our family! How do I help you and Juvia now?"

"You be our guiding light like always Love Rival."

"Juvia?!" whispered Lucy as Gray rushed over to her side to help her sit up. He gave her a glass of water, telling her to take slow small drinks of water.

"How much of our conversation did you hear?" Gray asked his wife adjusting some pillows behind her back to make her more comfortable.

"I woke up hearing something about Mr. Pradesh being happy about something. What has caused his happiness?" Gray looked at Lucy with pleading eyes not to say anything, but Juvia noticed the look before he could hide it away. "The truth please."

"You've been out for a while Juvia. Are you sure you don't want to wait for us to catch you up on everything?" Gray whispered while looking down at his hands.

"Lucy." Juvia pointedly looked at the celestial mage. "Will you please tell me everything?" Lucy took a deep breath and then launched into the tale of her capture, the guild being destroyed, all of the lost lives, what happened while she was captured which had Gray explaining about the search party and teaming up with White Sea to find her, to the plan where everyone thought Lucy was dead, and finally how she took out the dark guild and some of the warqueen's followers.

"Speaking of which, where did they all get sent? Where is that bitch Sorano at?" Gray questioned remembering that no one seemed to know.

"Oh well . . . the Celestial Cleansing spell sends them to the dungeons in the celestial world where they will be properly judged for their crimes by two of the Spirit Kings most trusted guards. None of them will be able to leave, and from my understanding will be receiving punishments that corresponds with their crimes."

"So what happened to the dragon egg?" Juvia asked frowning slightly.

"It hatched and inside was a six month old dragon slayer." Juvia gasped putting one hand over her mouth and the other on her stomach.

"I know you need time to adjust to everything, but when you're ready I'm going to need your help with Noelani." Lucy smiled and waited to see how she was going to react.

"You need Juvia's help with the baby how?"

"It's a storm dragon slayer and he commands rain and lightning, however right now he's favoring his water magic. The both of you are part of Fairy Tail, but more importantly you're part of my nest. I'm not delusional to think that I can have a child strapped to my hip as I run around finding the Alpha Keys and other dragon eggs, nor am I the best candidate to teach him to control his magic when he's old enough to do so. If you, and hopefully Laxus, are willing to teach him what I can't I'd be grateful. I need help, but respect the fact that you need time."

"When can Juvia meet Noelani?"

"Juvia are you sure? I mean you just woke up and . . ."

"And Juvia is well aware that she lost her precious Gray's child. Juvia will recover with time, as will you my love." Juvia placed a hand on Gray's cheek and placed a soft kiss to his lips. "Juvia needs to move forward and to do that Juvia needs to see if her reaction to a child now. The guild has lots of children and Juvia will have to be around them too."

"How about I bring Noelani around tomorrow afternoon? You and Gray can catch up, get something to eat, shower and anything else."

"Juvia would like that a lot."

"We will take all of this at your pace Juvia and if you need anything at all know that you can ask or talk to me about anything. You are as much my sister as Erza or Wendy is and I just want you to be happy." Lucy touched her forehead to Juvia's, the comforting gesture learned from Natsu.

"Thank you Lucy."

* * *

Arman sat in his living room with his very large family. Farron and Vander sat in the corner playing chess, Zen and Bickslow were trying to bring each other down in a heated battle of Battleship with Vander commentating, Kaleb was doting on a red faced Mira, Xally and Emzadi were resting against their mates on the sofa idly chatting back and forth. He was happy to see his family thoroughly enjoying themselves and safely home. Life certainly had been crazy the last several months around here and he was hoping for it to quiet down even for a short amount of time.

He had sat down with Mira when she had come into the house and they had discussed what they were wanting to do for the newly established family. Arman knew that Lucy was going to be fine based on the stories that Mira had told him of her back at the guild with of the children there, but Cristoff was another story. The lunar dragon slayer had never been around an infant in his entire life and now he was an instadad and as much as Arman adored his son he knew that sooner rather than later Cristoff was going to lose his collective composure. So the two of them had discussed everything they were going need for the new family of three when Farron spoke up and reminded them that there were four more eggs out there, plus however many they might have themselves when that time came. Arman and Mira had scrapped all of their current ideas and started working on a layout for a house that would be needed to encompass the potentially rapidly growing family. Soon everyone else was adding in their opinions as Freed created a 3D rune image of what the house would look like when they were finished.

Arman was lucky enough to have Ganier to help navigate the rough waters of parenthood when Farron had entered the world, followed by Zen not too long after and only for a short time. The rest of his children had been older when they had come to him, but there were a couple of things that he had learned from his late wife that had stuck with him through the years. Hopefully he would be able to pass on these simple life lessons in child rearing to his children to help raise his grandkids. Farron and Freed had decided to wait a couple years before looking to save children like what he had done. Laxus and Emzadi were holding off for at least a year because they wanted to spend more time as a couple. Natsu and Xally were his wild cards, because neither had divulged what their plans for kids were yet. Hopefully the rest of his children would settle down sooner than later, but he wasn't going to hold his breath.

"Father," Kaleb's voice rang through his daydreaming. "Cristoff is on his way with Noelani now."

"Where's Luce?" Natsu was instantly standing up and ready to bolt to get her if necessary.

"She's with Gray. Apparently after she had heard everything that had happened while she was away she became a nervous wreck, had Virgo pack up the cave and Cristoff lunar jumped them to the guild to see Gray and Juvia." Kaleb relayed as Cristoff was talking to him. "Cristoff will be here in a couple minutes, but Lucy will be a while yet. I told him we were in the living room, so he'll jump to outside the door before entering to make sure Noelani is alright." You could feel the excitement spread throughout the room at the idea of being able to meet Noelani so soon.

Cristoff stood outside the doors while he heard his family whispering about what they thought he looked like, and some of the ideas almost had him laughing out loud. Laxus had kept his mouth shut about his looks even though Emzadi was promising sexual acts if he told her which had the lightning slayer chuckling at her. He looked down at the bundle in his arms and watcher as Noelani's head was looking around for all of the additional voices. Cristoff was going to have to ask his father what was normal behavior for a 6 month old baby. _Maybe asking one of the slayer parents would be more beneficial?_

"Cris get your ass in here with our nephew!" Emzadi demanded with a small huff. Cristoff pushed open the door and strode in with the newest member of the family. He watched as everyone began rushing towards the two of them, but growled at all of them when he felt his son's uneasiness.

"We still need to bond to him, so for now you will come up to him one at a time so he can begin to imprint your scent. Once we are done bonding you will all get to hold him, and I am sure spoil, until your hearts content." Cristoff stated firmly to his over zealous family. "Dad would you like to meet your new grandson?" Arman smiled walking up to the pair and holding his hand out so that Noelani could smell and or touch if he was comfortable enough. Imprinting would allow the young dragon slayer to attach a person's distinct smell to their memory along with the feeling that person made the infant feel. If he felt safe then that smell would be one that Noelani would associate with as friendly. His sight was also impeccable as a slayer, so he'd also be to match the smell to the sight of a person and as he grew older the two would go hand in hand.

The rest of the family followed Arman's lead and he just sniffed them all, making no further movements than the cute ruffling of his nose. However he took one whiff of Laxus and latched his mouth onto one his fingers, sucking and gumming his poor digit. The lightning slayer gave a surprised yelped when a small tooth bit down rather hard. His wide eyes met Cristoff's whom was just as surprised as the big blonde man before him. Natsu's chuckling brought questioning gazes his way as he seemed to be the only one to know what was going on.

"He's hungry, smelled the lightning magic on bolt brain and took his chance to chomp." Natsu smiled at the crowd as Xally wrapped an arm around his waist. "He's a slayer and he still needs to consume his element no matter how old he is now that he's born, er hatched. Just charge your finger slightly Laxus and he'll suck until he's full, but it could be a while since this is his real meal."

"Ho . . . how do you know about this?" Freed asked a bit dumbfounded.

"I listened to Igneel occasionally when he talked about this, but mostly it was from watching metal head with his two kids. He'll need to eat his element a couple times a day. Tomorrow I'll see if Levy or Yukino have any spare lacrima bottles so you can charge some for him, but he's going to need rain in his diet as well." Natsu stated as Cristoff moved Noelani into his arms. Arman was guiding the two slayers on how to do so and instructing Laxus on resting the tiny slayer horizontally in his arms so that he was comfortable while he fed. Laxus charged his finger and brought it to the child's mouth, whom greedily accepted the appendage. Arman looked back at Emzadi who was practically salivating watching her mate handle the child. _There just might be more grandchildren to spoil soon after all._

Noelani ate for a solid half hour before his eyes became heavy and half lidded, but sleep alluded the small slayer whom began to fuss and wasn't having any of what Laxus or Cristoff were trying. Even the suggestions that Arman was giving them seemed to do little for the overtired child. He hadn't started screaming yet, so that was a bonus however the crocodile tears that were swimming in his eyes weren't helping the situation. Everyone was at a loss of what to do when he did start to scream though.

"Jeez. Did you guys pinch him or something?" Lucy asked in a teasing manner from within the door frame. Next to her stood Thane with an amused smile on his face. "Bring him here please Laxus." Said mage was all too happy to deposit the wailing infant in Lucy's arms and was amazed when he instantly quieted. She was humming softly to the storm slayer as he cuddled closer to her and started to drift off into the land of dreams.

"Guess he just wanted his mom." Arman smiled at the petite blonde as she continued to hum, rocking to and fro.

"Thanks for bringing me back Thane. I'm glad we got here before he got any worse."

"Of course Lucy. Pretty sure there would have been several mages after me if they found out I ran into you after your left the infirmary and hadn't escorted you back to the estate. I bid you all goodnight." Thane bowed politely to all before he left the room.

"Speaking of bidding everyone goodnight I think I'm going to retire with Noelani too. We'll see you at breakfast tomorrow. Cris are you coming too or did you want to visit for a while longer?"

"And miss cuddles with the two of you? Hell no! Have a good night everyone." Cristoff wrapped an arm around Lucy's shoulder's and pulled her close to kiss her on the top of her head. "Laxus you better get Em home before she jumps you with everyone in the room. Watching you play daddy has made her slightly crazy." Cristoff yelled from over his shoulder as Emzadi jumped onto Laxus wrapping her legs around his waist and kissing his breathless.

"I think we should all retire for the night," chuckled Arman as he ushered everyone out of the living room calling back to the two blonde mages, "I may have just became a grandfather today, but I wouldn't mind you two expanding our family as well. Just try to make it to your room shortly so Mrs. Elan can clean up the mess." He closed the door behind him leaving a red faced Laxus and a smirking Emzadi.

"What do you say Thunder God?" Emzadi purred as she sucked on her mate's earlobe causing him to growl that shot straight to her throbbing pussy. "Feel up to some baby making practice?" She dragged her pointed nails along his shoulders in a sensual manner.

"I'm always willing to practice that." Laxus pulled her back for a long slow toe curling kiss before wrapping them in lightning and zapping them into their room. Emzadi slips from his arm and goes to turn on the jacuzzi tub, knowing that he's watching her she bends over to turn the taps on flashing him a peak of her blue lace cheeky underwear. She looks over her shoulder to see that he's already naked and hard, his deliciously large length begging for attention. She looked up at his hungry eyes and knew that he was going to make her beg tonight.

Laxus slowly stalked up to his vibrant mate and could feel her shake in anticipation of his touch. He ghosted his hands up her bare legs, barely touching her but ensuring she knew he was present. He undid the ties to her top, letting it fall to the ground and placed a single kiss between her shoulder blades. He watched as she was about to slide her fingers into her panties and grabbed her hand to place it back onto the edge of the tub.

"I'm going to be the only one to please you tonight. All you pleasure will be mine and you will know who you belong too." Laxus huskily told his quivering mate. Laxus could smell how wet his mate was and licked his lips. It had been several hellish days and they hadn't been able to fuck since before the guild exploded. He ran his hand around the curve of her ass then we straight to teasing his mate through the lace material that covered her. Laxus quickly ripped the material from her and listened to her gasp then moan as he sink a finger deep into her wetness. Laxus set a rough and steady pace that had his passionate mate orgasm quickly, clenching around his lone finger.

Her whole body was trembling from the effects of her first orgasm. Watching Laxus care for the tiny slayer had struck a cord with her, one that apparently set you libido into overdrive. As she was coming down from her high he started to slowly circle her sensitive clit which made her grip the edge of the tub with both hands and push her plump backside into her dragon's heavy erection. Emzadi started to grind in slow circular movements in time with how he was playing with her nub. She heard his breathing increase and knew that he was enjoying her movements, but when he pressed harder and fast she stalled, enjoying the feeling.

"Please Laxus . . . oh . . please?"

"Please what my pretty mate?"

"Ohhhh . . . please fuck . . . god . . . fuck me!"

"I will after you cum for me again Emzadi." Laxus smacked her ass. "Do you like it when I make you beg? Do you like having my fingers fuck you?"

"Yes! Laxus yes!"

"Cum for me beautiful. Let me watch you fall apart again." Laxus throatily said to his trembling mate. Emzadi came apart at his words yelling his name to anyone who would listen. Emzadi had just finishing cuming when Laxus put his strong hands on her hips and thrusted. His rhythm and pace quickened and Emzadi was breathing hard, trying to control herself, but felt out of control and and pushed her ass closer to him so he could fuck her deeper. It was overwhelming, and their gasps and moans were turning into a louder pitch. She arched her back, pussy started to tightening as the tension in her body built to a crescendo as she begged to be fucked harder. Emzadi can hear his groans as she's trying to catch her breath and gasping. Laxus was fucking her over and over, the sound of skin slapping together and moaning was delicious. Her third orgasm washed over her and she knew he could feel the spasms around his cock a he thrusts his shaft inside, deeper than before. His cock throbbed as roared shooting cum deep in her womb as his own powerful orgasm rages through his body.

After a short breather Laxus gently picked up his tired mate and set her in the forgotten tub. He turned the taps off and then slid in behind her as she cuddled into his strong arms. No words were spoken as they enjoyed each other's company. Soon Emzadi's breathing evened out, signaling to the lightning slayer that she had fallen asleep so he drained. Laxus lightly towel dried them off before he slipped into bed, holding her in his arms and fell into a peaceful slumber.


	19. Chapter 18

This chapter is longer than normal, but I couldn't figure out a good place to stop because I wanted to cover so much in this chapter - which is all in 1 day in Fairy Tail. Thanks for your continued support and thanks to Desna for some character bios that you will be seeing in chapters to come.

* * *

Mirajane woke up naked warm and comfortable pressed up one of the most handsome men she had ever had the opportunity to lay eyes on. The takeover mage may have had a few too many nightcaps the night before and demanded that the man whom had caught her eye sleep naked next to her, which she was emabrassed about now that she was sober. She couldn't figure out why the mindbender mage wanted to spend time with a woman whom could literally turn into demons. He was Guildmaster, 5th Wizard Saint, Master of Immaculate Light, AND a Pradesh while she was an S Class mage that played mother hen and perhaps tried matchmaking too many people too many times. Kaleb was the epitome of masculine beauty with his platinum blonde hair and soul reading pale purple eyes. And all that white leather . . . yum.

"Leave the soul reading to the poison slayer." Mira sat up startled as she gazed into his intense eyes and felt the instant heat pool between her legs. "You have so many remarkable qualities Mirajane and I'm going to tell you about everyone that I see." Kaleb had been laying on his side when he pushed himself up so that he was resting on his right elbow and forearm and eye level with her chest. Her nipples pebbled and were clearly visible through the thin sheet she was clutching tightly to her, but her eyes were fixated on Kaleb's face as she watched his tongue wet his lips sending another wave of heat to her nether regions. His hand reached out and his knuckles grazed against her upper arm causing Mira to bite her bottom lip.

"You are extremely beautiful Mirajane. I proudly own several copies of Sorcerer Weekly when you were modeling for them, but the real thing is so much better." Mira let his words wash over her and felt her inhibitions slowly melt away, and Mavis if she didn't want this man . . . oh so very badly. "Your maternal instincts you have towards your guild means that you are going to make an amazing mother. Hopefully with time you'll be the mother to our children, plus you can have me in any way you want since the best part of making a baby is all the practice. Your matchmaking tendencies show that you want everyone to be happy and never be alone." Alone. That was something Mirajane was all too familiar with since she tended to scare men away with her demon takeover abilities, but she wanted to be loved and love someone, to one day start a family all of her own, to find a REAL home. Kaleb cupped her face between his hands a wiped away the lone tear that fell from her cheek.

"Ho . . . How can you see yourself with me when we've only spent a week together?" she asked in a hushed tone, but never took her eyes off of his face.

"I have been searching for someone who would be as passionate about White Sea as I am. Someone who knows what it takes to be a Master and command so many people without having to worry she'll get bored when I'm not around all of the time. A person to fight by my side for what we believe in and defend those who are unable to do so themselves. Outer beauty can only get you so far but their inner beauty, the desire to protect, help, love, that is what I am looking for in partner. I don't need someone after any of my titles or to just be the occasional sexual partner. No, what I want is to find that person that wants be to be a better man and to help me see when my tunnel vision gets the best of me. That's you Mirajane. You embody all of that and I am hoping that you'll want to see where this goes."

Mira was surprised, because everything Kaleb wanted in a partner she wanted in one as well. The guild was her life and her family and every other man had tried to take her away from them. But Kaleb wanted her to be by his side and help him keep his guild safe, to love him. It was a lot to take in, but he was right she did want to see where this would lead. She already knew that they worked well together and had similar interests and the sexual attraction was . . . well if she had panties on they'd be soaked through ten times over by now. Kaleb chuckled at her last thought and Mira only slightly blushed this time round.

"What do you say Mira?" Kaleb calmly asked, but was eager to hear her response. He was pleasantly surprised when she pulled him in for a hungry kiss and sucking on his bottom lip, silently asking for entry. He moaned into the kiss giving her access as her tongue battled against his in a way that had her member painfully hard. Kaleb needed to feel her skin against his own and pulled Mira into his lap. The tip of his penis brushed against her clit causing Mira to pull away from their intense kiss gasping for air and shaking with need. Kaleb wanted nothing more than to take his time with Mira and get to know her body, every sound she made, but could hear Thane in the entryway asking to see the Master.

"Mira, unfortunately this is going to have to be quick today for I am needed elsewhere." He rolled a nipple between his thumb and finger as he kissed her neck.

"To . . . oh Kaleb . . . tonight. Sh-ohhh me tonight everything that you want to mhmmm do." _Kaleb please just fuck me now. I can't wait much longer and need to have you inside me._ That was all it took for Kaleb to thrust into her wet core making them both moan and giving her a moment to adjust to his length. He started rocking his hips back and forth creating a deliciously sensual pace, so Mira placed her hands on his shoulders and started to grind her hips onto his. Their joint motions were wreaking havoc on her body, but when he took a nipple in his mouth and sucked hard she almost screamed.

 _I want you to scream Mira, to call my name when you come for me._ His voice inside her head was almost as sexy as if he were speaking out loud to her. Everything about this man was sexy to her. Kaleb grabbed Mira's ass, forcing her to wrap her legs around his lower back, so that he could relentlessly pound into her. _Kaleb, pl . . . please I'm so clo . close._ Kaleb pressed a finger into her pussy while his cock continued to pump into her, then pressed it against the entrance of her ass, giving her time to tell him yes or no. She gave him the green light when she sucked on his earlobe and he gently eased his wet finger into her ass up to the second knuckle.

 _Kaleb! Just like that, please don't stop!_ Mira knew that she was close, but now that she had a finger playing with her she'd be done in seconds. Hoping that Kaleb wasn't too far from coming because she didn't want to disappoint. _Oh Mira, you could never disappoint me._ The sexy edge he held in his voice sent her over the edge and she yelled his name, her walls clamping down around him. Kaleb thrust three more time while her walls were spasming, pulling him deeper then he moaned her name and came too. They held each other for a while, Kaleb planting kisses against her collarbone.

"I can't wait for tonight." She whispered into his ear. Kaleb smiled against her skin while saying _Neither can I._

* * *

Ayala's eyes were scanning the mages in the guild looking for any familiar face that she had encountered within the last twenty four hours, but there was no one around. She desperately needed to talk to Lucy about a couple of things that had come into light recently. Lucy had briefly mentioned that there was an dragon egg within Bosco and that Arman would have an idea about it, but she could sense the egg. The earth slayer thought that she would only be able to sense the egg that Noelani had hatched from, but apparently being a guardian enabled her to find all of the eggs.

The book she had grabbed from Madara's office would be super useful for Lucy as well, as she figured out how to smoothly run her nest. Ayala had read the first couple pages and the book was based around dragon nests and tatsu's. Which lead her to wondering if Lucy would let her join her nest or what she would have to do to prove that she was a good fit. She was the only dragon slayer at the temple and had learned very little about the life of a dragon slayer, but she was very close to the dragon soul within the lacrima. Thea was a calm and quiet dragon and had taught her how to use her powers and what it meant to be a dragon, but she wasn't sure how that differed from being a slayer. Being included in the nest would help her to learn and grow from the others, plus her dragon had identified her mate.

She wasn't sure how Lucy was going to take that news that her mate was one of her bonded brothers. Hell she wasn't even sure what to make of it since she had only met him after Lucy had pushed back Sydelle and saved everyone out on the battlefield. He was Boscan too, so she needed to brush up on her history and their culture because things were very different here than at the temple. She had never had sex before and rarely had any thoughts about any type of promiscuity, until that dream last night. Ayala woke up and went straight to having a cold shower to try to rid herself of the full body flush she was covered in. She wasn't even sure that it was physically possible to be on some of the positions they had taken in her dream, but she kind of wanted to explore the options.

"Good morning Ayala!" Said dragon slayer turned around to see Yasmine waving and coming down the stairs to join her in the dining hall. "How was your first night in the guild?"

"It was pleasant. What were doing up there?"

"I was asking Thane if it would be possible to talk to Master Kaleb about joining White Sea." Yasmine shyly stated as she played with her hands nervously. "I want to be part of a guild that supports one another and protects the innocent. Thane said he would be going to get Kaleb shortly and has scheduled me for a meeting with them at eleven. What are your plans now that you are here?"

"I want to talk to Lucy about her plans for the nest and hopefully I can join. If she says no then I am not sure where I'll go." Ayala frowned while trying to formulate a back up plan.

"Pffft. As if Lucy would say no to your request. Not saying it'll be easy, because I think she'll want to test you in some way." Yasmine's pink eye's flashed blue for a second and she squeaked and ran from the guild. Ayala stared at the spot the young mage had been before continuing to see if someone knew where Lucy was.

"Miss Ayala?" A green haired mage asked uncertainly.

"Just Ayala, please."

"Of course. My name is Freed and I am a guild mate of Miss Lucy, so she has asked that if I happen upon you this morning to let you know that she'll be in the guild mid afternoon. She has a couple of items to look into this morning and a meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Fullbuster, but plans to see you shortly after that."

"Well thank you Freed. Do you happen to know where the gym is? I would love to get a work out in now that I don't have to mindlessly search for Lucy."

"Please follow me." Ayala eyed the overly polite man up, but shrugged and decided to just with him. He smelled of the oldest Pradesh boy, so figured that he must be honorable to keep such company. _Work out, go for a swim in the sea, lunch, meditate, and then meet with Lucy. It'll be a productive day after all._

* * *

Cana was sitting at the guild pool watching all the fine male specimen strut around in their swimming shorts. _This is exactly what my heaven looks like *sigh*_ However she was looking for a particular black haired, red eyed mage that had captured her attention. That man was sin on a stick and man did she want to test every part of him out. They had a lot of fun and the constant banter was perfect! She found that Vander was the only mage who could keep up to her sarcastic ass and the sexual innuendos could pretty much pass as foreplay.

The sexual tension between the two was enough to drive her insane! She had found out about the bet Mira and Kaleb had about the two mages and Cana was sad to say that neither one had crossed the line. The closest thing that the two of them had come to having sex was when Vander had appeared from the shadows directly behind her, pulled her ass flush with his growing erection and whispered how he'd like to take her from behind against the big oak tree in front of her. Cana still shivered thinking about it, the huskiness in his voice and the way she fit against him had heat pooling between her legs.

"Cana!" The brunette turned around to see Vander bouncing towards.

"Did someone feed you too much sugar Van?"

"I'm naturally sweet. Wanna taste?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her and Cana couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips. _Fuck he's cute._

"Name when and where and I'll eat you up." Cana turned onto her side on the lounger and watched an the shadowquip mage eye fucked her body. She smiled coyly knowing that it was only a matter of time.

"I'll find you later and you can have a taste of whatever you can put your lips on, however for now I've got to get these frozen keys to our favorite celestial mage. Care to join me as I head back to Dad's?"

"Are we walking or . . ."

"Nope! Walking is for people who don't know how to have fun." Vander pulled Cana off the lounger so that she was facing him, her bikini clad chest millimeters from his bare one. "I know you know how to enjoy yourself." He stepped into the void and had them in the rec room within moments. He didn't know what it was about the card mage, but they hadn't even fucked yet and he wanted to hold her in his arms. Vander was used to the sharing pleasure with others and leaving the moment all parties were sated, but with her it was different. He wasn't sure he wanted to delve into too much further, but he was definitely going to have the mage screaming until dawn if he has his way.

"Nice of you to join us Van." Bickslow smirked at his brother's proximity to one of his best friends. "Took a detour did you?"

"Cana," Lucy called before he had a chance to retort. "Could you grab Noelani for a moment please? I need to see these keys that Van found with everyone. He said they were stuck in ice or something?" Cana held onto the baby boy as he blew bubbles at her, and watched as Vander shadowquiped the three keys onto the nearest desk.

"So these are what we were able to get for you, but we can't melt the ice. We thought it was similar to Hakobe ice but no magical pens or other instruments work on it either." Vander shrugged as he watched Lucy and Natsu handle the ice.

"It smells funny, but it's similar to something I've seen before." Natsu stated as he picked up a block and tried to melt it with his fire, but nothing happened.

"We need Gray." Lucy said looking between the Natsu and ice encased keys. "This is similar to Silver's ice from the Sun Village, so we'll more than likely need his demon slaying magic to break it. I don't understand how this would have been created though. Granted . . . the keys have never been found, so I guess another mage could have placed them in the ice hundred of years ago." Lucy sighed at the oncoming headache that was forming. Cristoff had freaked out this morning when Lucy had instructed him on how to change a diaper and warm up a bottle. Now she had keys frozen in impenetrable ice that she was praying to Mavis that Gray would be able to get out. She felt like today was going to be one of those days where she wished she could have stayed in bed.

"We have to take Noelani to Juvia, so we might as well take the iced keys with us and see what your ice demon slayer can do." Cristoff was keenly aware that Lucy was tired and frustrated. Noelani's first two upper dragon teeth, or cuspids as Lucy had called them, were trying to cut through. She was up most of the night with a tired, cranky, and uncomfortable baby while he slept. Then he freaked out when she asked him to help out with Noelani, which hadn't improved her mood at all. He knew he was walking on eggshells and tried to talk to her but she left in a huff to check out the keys. _Maybe I'll be able to talk to her after she meets with Ayala._

"Vander can you take the two of us to the guild please?" Lucy grabbed Noelani from Cana and walked over to said mage. She watched as Vander's eyes connected with her potential mates and could see the pity that was in them, but pulled them in and took them to the guild.

"What the fuck did you do to Luce? She's pissed - I know that look all too well." Natsu rounded on the lunar slayer eyes blazing.

"Honestly I'm not sure. Noelani is teething so she didn't get much sleep and her list of things to do today is a mile long, but she won't let me help her with anything." Bickslow clapped his hand on his brother's shoulder and smiled at him.

"No worries bro! I'll get to the bottom of this, after all Cosplayer can't resist my charm." The seith mage ducked as Cristoff took a swing at his cocky brother, cackling as he took off out the window on his babies towards the guild. He'd catch Lucy after her meeting with the Fullbusters and get her to talk to him about what was stressing her out. Her soul, usually a brilliant gold color, had faded to a dull yellow and that was concerning to him. She was bottling too much up and needed to share it with her family, or at least her mate. He strode into the infirmary and waited for Cosplayer to finish with Juvia and the stripper, but eavesdropping wasn't out of the question.

"Arman is going to buy the lacrima bottles we need so we'll be able to put lightning into them soon and . . ."

"Juvia doesn't mind. Juvia will help with Noelani whenever you need Juvia too." Juvia smiled brightly and watched as the dragon slayer sucked on her finger, eating her rain magic. Even though she lost her own baby this small child still made her feel complete.

"That's good, because I was hoping you two would be willing to watch over him while I go hunt for the rest of Draco's keys."

"Don't you need to bond with him?" Gray asked slightly confused.

"He has bonded with me and he now knows that I'm his queen, but . . ."

"Lucy? What's going on?" Gray placed a hand on her shoulder and made her face him.

"It's my job to look after the nest and ensure that all the slayers are taken care of. Leo came from the celestial world last night while I was awake since Noelani is currently teething, and had some news that he needed to share with me that came directly from Draco." Lucy took a deep breath and continued on. "All the dragon slayers within the eggs need to bond with me, but not because I am their mother but because I am their queen. Since they have no parents of their own they need to know they will be taken care of and instinctually they know a queen will do that."

"Lucy do you me to tell Juvia that . . ."

"Yes Juvia. If you two are willing I would like you to be Noelani's parents." Lucy watched as Juvia and Gray looked at one another, then to Noelani, back to each other, smiling. "I haven't told anyone about my plan or the conversation with Loke from last night, because I wanted to check with you first."

"Lucy," Juvia said with tear filled eyes. "You have just made Juvia whole. You have filled the empty space in Juvia's heart and completed Juvia's family."

"We will never be able to repay you for this Lucy." Gray hugged Lucy as if his life depended on it.

"I don't expect repayment," giggled Lucy. "However there will some stipulations to come, but I need to finish ironing them out. None of them are unreasonable, but in the future just know that there will be things we need to discuss. I''ll have Arman or Mira send all of the baby necessities to your room in the guild." Juvia grabbed Lucy's hand before she left and the women shared a moment, then Lucy walked over to Gray with three chunks of ice.

"Think you can help me get the keys out of these? It's similar to your dad's ice magic."

"This will be easy. Just give me a minute." Gray concentrated on his magic and shattered the ice around the first block, quickly followed by the next two. "Which Alpha Keys did you get this time?"

"Aldhibah, Edasich, and Thuban. The make up the constellations back and tail, so that means I only have three more keys to find." Lucy watched as Noelani yawned in Juvia's arms. "Thanks for your help, but looks like someone needs a nap. I'm going to find Ayala, but I'll stop by your apartment in a day or two. Oh! Levy will be stopping by to go over some basic baby slayer care once her rugrats are down for the night." Lucy left the new family to themselves and let herself out of the infirmary.

"Damn Cosplayer!" Bickslow said as he followed Lucy from the room. "Why the fuck would't you share this with everyone? Why keep everything bottle up to the point where you are literally going to explode?"

"Because it's my duty!" Lucy yelled rounding on the seith mage. "Arman and the rest of your siblings are going to be pissed at my decision and Cristoff wasn't ready to be a father. HELL! I wasn't ready to be a mother either. How can I take care of a six month old child when I have to find three more keys and four more eggs? It'd be irresponsible of me to do so, and no one can fault me for that."

"Lucy it's alright to depend on others and to share the burden that's been placed on you." Bickslow made her look up at him. "There is no weakness in asking for help, not when you have done so much for everyone already. I'm going to go back to the estate to break this news to everyone, to help YOU. You need to talk to Cristoff about all of this though, because he is going to utterly confused and with you not communicating with him he's going to be upset."

"I know," Lucy whispered. "I can't seem to get this right."

"Leaders make mistakes, but you have to be willing to right them and learn. You taught me that after Fantasia. Now give me a hug and go find that smokin hot earth dragon slayer." Lucy laughed as the two mages went their own separate ways.

Lucy met up with Ayala shortly after her talk with Bickslow and asked the slayer if they could chat outside because she needed some air. They walked in silence down to the beach where the both sat on the sand and watched the waves splash against the shore. Ayala looked worriedly over to her queen and was suddenly unsure if she should be talking to her.

"Ayala," Lucy started while she continued to stare out to the sea. "I would like you to join our nest." Lucy could practically feel the excitement and relief of the emerald eyed slayer. "You'll make a great addition, plus I think Emzadi and Wendy will be happy have another female slayer amongst the sea of testosterone." Both mages laughed.

"Thank you Lucy. I am very grateful for the opportunity." Ayala grabbed her hand in the sand and smiled with everything she had. "There are a couple of things I need to inform you about though."

"Oh?"

"I think you need to read this book. I swiped it from Madara's office when we escaped." She handed Lucy the book and she looked it over with a keen interest. "I think this will help with a lot of the questions you seem to have."

"Where was this book several months ago?" sighed Lucy as she closed her eyes.

"Also I can sense that there is a dragon egg here in Pelerno." Lucy's wide eyes met Ayala's in astonishment. "I was surprised too, because I thought I could only detect the egg that was stolen from the temple. I think that since I'm a a guardian that I'm able to sense any eggs, so that should make things easier."

"I could kiss you Ayala! That's amazing!" _Hey Cosplayer. I just wanted to let you know things are all fine on this front. Cristoff is pissed, like I said he would be. However dad is alright, especially after learning that Natsu and Xally are pregnant with twins._ Lucy stared at her hands in utter belief. _Seriously? Natsu is having a child? Mavis help us all._ Lucy could hear Bickslow laughing at her comment. _Check ya later Cosplayer._

"Lucy? Are you alright?" Ayala asked with a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh yea. Sorry I was just talking to Bickslow through our celestial meld bond."

"Oh right! You mentioned that you can do that with Bickslow and Zen."

"Anything else that you need to talk to me about?"

"Actually . . . there is one more thing. I have found my mate." Lucy stared blankly at Ayala trying to comprehend what she said. _How many surprises can I get in a ten minute span?_

"That's great news! Why are you hesitating about telling me?"

"I'm nervous about telling you who it is since you're really close to him."

"Ayala I'm not one to deny another person their mate, unless you say it's Cristoff. Then we might have an issue." Ayala laughed and shook her head no.

"My mate is Bickslow."


	20. Chapter 19

So I've had some major writer's flow block lately (if that's a thing). Everything I came up with just didn't fit, so I came up with this short chapter which will lead into much more fun ideas down the road. And yes - a mating between Lucy & Cristoff is coming, shortly. Thanks for your patience and I hope you enjoy the chapter.

* * *

Lucy's mind was reeling from everything that had happened in the day, but she was scared to talk to Cristoff about her decision with Noelani. About everything in all honestly. There was so much on her plate that she wasn't sure what she was going to do about all of it. She was pushing her friends and family away from her and have been snippy lately to a lot of them as well. How does one person handle the weight of the world? They don't do it alone, she realized that very fast after her talk with Bickslow this afternoon. She need help, but how do you ask your people you care about to put their life on the line?

"Why so deep in thought child?"

"Hey Gramps." Lucy smiled to the old white haired man that was perched on the brick wall of the boardwalk smoking his pipe. "You have time to talk?"

"Only for you Lucy," winked Gramps as Lucy giggled.

"How did you handle all of your responsibilities as guildmaster, not just once, but being master several times over?"

"Booze and women!" Makarov stood up and raised his pipe in the air and yelled it out, scaring some of the people who were walking by.

"Graaamps." Lucy said while rolling her eyes at his crazy ass, a smile on her face the entire time though.

"Alright you kill joy." He sat back down cross legged and got a far off look in his eyes. "I had help from people I trusted - the other guildmasters. We knew the life wasn't going to be easy so we created monthly meetings to talk and brainstorm over everything. I may have had the most destructive teams in my guild, but the others have just as many problems as I did."

"Was it enough? Just having those meetings I mean?"

"The older and wiser I got the easier it became, for all of us. However in the beginning I created a council of sorts to help manage the day to day activities and that's what you need Lucy. At your fingertips is the Master of the largest guild in all of Earthland and his father whom has talked his way in and out of too many situations to count. Refer to them for guidance and strength, then create your own council."

"My own council?" Lucy thought about Makarov's suggestions as the lightbulb seemed to go off in her head.

"Figured it out have you?"

"Gramps you are the absolute best!" She kissed the old man on the cheek and took off running towards the guild. She had a plan in mind to run past Kaleb and Arman, but first she had a dragon slayer to grovel too. _Bickslow! Do you happen to know where Cristoff is?_ The celestial mage was praying to Mavis that he'd be the one to know. _Hey Cosplayer. He should still be at the estate, but let me check with Kaleb._ The entire minute that Lucy had to wait for the seith mage to contact her seemed to be dragging on forever. _Kaleb says he's in his room at the moment, but had asked about taking a mission soon._ Well she really did screw things up this time around. _Stall him please! I'm on my way but will be a few minutes, even if I fly there._ Lucy summoned Pegasus and jumped onto the winged horse's back and urged him to head to the estate. _You got it Cosplayer - Oh I'm supposed to mention that Kaleb wants to talk to you once you've sorted that out and Zen's says that you're not aloud to fuck his brains out just yet, because he has a message from Draco._ Lucy rolled her eyes at her best friend. _I'll see them both after I've talked to him._ Lucy had Pegasus hover by the balcony that was attached to Cristoff's room, trying to get his attention.

Cristoff had struggled with what Bickslow had told them about Lucy's decision. Not that he wasn't proud of her for making it, but he couldn't figure out why she kept leaving him in the dark. It was beyond frustrating when all he wanted her to do was let him in so he could love her and show her how well they fit together. He had decided that maybe if he took a mission to clear his head he'd have some kind of an idea on how to approach his reluctant mate.

"Cristoff?" came a quiet voice and equally quiet knock on the door.

"Come in," he yelled from his room before heading to the small entryway. In his doorway stood Xally with her arms wrapped around her middle. She had been voluntold to go and deal with their brother until Lucy could reach him and since Natsu had blabbed about them being pregnant she had the perfect excuse to visit the healing mage. "Xally is everything alright?"

"Yea . . . well I think so . . . I don't know!" Tears filled the woman's eyes as Cristoff scooped her up in his arms and brought her over to his leather, cream colored couch. Waterworks had never been a problem for the water mage, but now she seemed to always be on the verge of crying no matter the topic.

"Xally what's wrong?" Cristoff's hand glowed a soft white light as he began to do a scan of her to make sure there wasn't anything wrong with her body or the growing baby inside of her.

"Cristoff I'm so tired and I've been having really weird cravings. Like the need to jump into the grass sea and just drink all of it's contents or bite at the flames from Natsu's hands." This was true, but she figured it was because of the baby being a mix of their two magic and more than likely being a dragon slayer itself.

"Well Xal," Cristoff said with a large smile on his face. "You are tired because you are growing two munchkins and they are more than likely both slayers if you're craving both elements. Looks like we'll be having another dragon slayer and a new water dragon slayer in the family." That news took Xally by surprise, but she was just happy that there wasn't anything wrong with her. "It'll be good for you to consume whatever element your're needing whenever you need it. I would suggest staying here for the duration of your pregnancy to be close to the grass sea."

"Thanks Cris." Xally snuggled into her brother to give him a hug. When she pulled away she saw Lucy on a white winged horse waving at her. "Ah Cris, I think you have a visitor." The lunar slayer looked at her confused before following her where she was pointing. Sure as shit there was Lucy riding her spirit several stories above the ground. He raced up towards the patio doors and a smiling Xally let her self out of the room quite certain they didn't want an audience.

"Lucy! What in the hell are you doing?"

"I needed to see you and talk to you before you left. I need to apologize profusely for how I've been acting and treating you. Please let me come in?" Lucy begged his with her bright chocolate eyes and Cristoff couldn't say no. He reached a hand out to grab hers securely in his and help her off the flying steed. Pegasus had ideas of his own and disappeared before his keyholder was off of him, making her start to fall. Thankfully Cristoff reacted fast enough and hauled her into her chest and held her close. Lucy was glaring into his chest internally ranting about spirit betrayal, but could hear every single one of her keys laughing at her.

"I'm sorry," she blurted out. "I'm sorry for being an idiot and trying to do everything myself. I'm sorry for not including you in any of the decision I have been making. I'm sorry for not being around you lately. I'm sorry I have said I love you. I'm sor . . ." Cristoff's lips silenced her ramblings. His lips felt so good against her own even though she had only kissed him early this morning she felt like it had been an eternity.

"You are the most infuriating woman I have ever met." Cristoff said as he placed kisses all over her face making his mate laugh at him. "No more solo acts Lucy. I want you to feel like we can share anything, everything."

"Well I promise not to exclude you anymore, but I can't promise I won't do anymore solo acts Cris." Lucy whispered into his ear as she sucked on his earlobe.

"Fuck Lucy!" Groaned Cristoff as he pushed Lucy away from him. "Zen . . . Zen needs to talk to us about our mating first." Lucy sighed at the fact their fun was being interrupted again.

"Well lets go find him and Kaleb, since I've been requested by both of your brothers." Cristoff moon jumped them to the guild where he knew that Kaleb was. They walked into his office to find Bickslow, Laxus, Vander, and Zen in there as well.

"Glad you kissed and made up." Bickslow smiled at the pair as the entered. "To bad you couldn't fuck and make up, since make up sex is the best." Laxus sent a bolt at Bickslow who managed to doge it this time.

"That is my sister. I would rather not imagine her doing the naughty."

"You don't like the idea of her wrapping her legs around Cristoff's waist as he poun . . . Ouch! Fuck Laxus!" yelled Vander who hadn't been able to hide in the shadows from a rather nasty bolt that was sent at his ass.

"You were warned." Smiled Lucy at the shadowquip mage as she fist bumped Laxus. "What did you need to see me for Master Kaleb?"

"Bickslow let me in on your plan for Fairy Tail."

"And by let he means he pried into my brain and took the fucking information without me knowing."

"Yea, there's that too." Kaleb smirked at his brother as he shared her plans with everyone in the room. "The plan you were working of for Fairy Tail and the nest, well I just want to say I agree with it whole heartily. It's probably the best way to keep everyone happy and in the loop. Convincing everyone may be interesting, but I think they'll go for it."

"You think so?" Lucy bit her lip still unsure of it all, but Gramps' words played in her head and she stopped worrying. "Well where do we go from here? I had already started with the nest with my inheritance money." Turns out the sleezeball that tried to have her father marry her off to him had forged all her dad's signature's AFTER he had died and someone had figured it out and reported him for fraud. She was now the sole owner of Heartfilia Rail and Trade, but had her father's old business partner acting at the COO for the business and she just took in a 'small' profit as the CEO.

"I think we should have Gajeel in charge of the rest of the nest design since he has the most knowledge in that area." Laxus suggested then they went into more details about what they were going to do with Fairy Tail and all of it's modifications. They talked over Lucy's plan for several hours and once they had everything figure out Kaleb would take the designs to Thane and his picks from White Sea to ensure that this was done.

"Now that everything for this project is taken care of I wanted to let you know that Ayala stopped by my office to talk with me about the dragon egg that's within Pelerno. I know where it's being hidden, but it won't be easy to get too." Kaleb said with a frown.

"Just fucking spit it out Kaleb." Vander said. "The suspense you're building just sucks."

"It's in Kurino's vault."

"You mean our future evil sadistic queen has it sitting with all of her crown jewels - in her fucking room!" Cristoff was floored. He had been on the receiving end of her bull shit, hell so had Vander and Kaleb. "How the hell did you figure it out?"

"Ayala told me where she sensed the pull of the egg coming from and based on her image of what the previous egg looked liked before it hatched and my last visit with Kurino I remember there being a light purple, what I thought was a crystal, buried under a bunch of other jewels."

"How the hell are we supposed to get the egg from her?" Vander asked frustrated and anxious about having to be in her presence. Lucy was looking around them an idea started formulating in her head.

"Lucy you are fucking brilliant!" Kaleb smiled at the celestial mage. "You and I will go over this plan with Thane before we bring in the necessary team." Lucy whispered to Cristoff that she'd fill him in later. "Now that this has all been figured out, Zen the floor is yours." Zen cleared his throat, really not wanting to tell anyone about what Draco had stated about their mating.

"So mating a dragon queen is quite different than mating a female slayer. A challenge is issued and everyone in the nest, of appropriate age, need to be there to witness it. Lucy will need to assign the declaration on winner to one slayer, so that it can be official." Zen started to explain what Draco had told him.

"Laxus." Lucy said without hesitating and the large blonde slayer nodded his head, accepting the role.

"Now the next part gets . . . interesting." Zen wasn't sure how to explain it and looked to Kaleb for help, who all but blanched after reading his thoughts. _You are so on your own for this Zen!_ Fucking dick!

"Zen you might as well spit it out." Laxus gruffly stated getting impatient.

"Once the challenge is completed a magical barrier will be placed around the battlefield and everyone whom is there to witness will be stuck there. Cristoff will be mating Lucy infront of everyone, and to top things off any female in the vicinity will automatically go into a dragon heat - dragon or not."

"You're telling me that when we mate we are going to essentially trigger an fucking orgy?" Cristoff stared at his older brother in utter disbelief.

"Yes and to top it all off all women who are not pregnant or who haven't bared a child in the last eighteen months will become pregnant due to the dragon queen and king's . . . ah strong hormonal trigger. Draco tried to explain this part but it's all confusing, but none of this can happen until AFTER Draco has been summoned using the Alpha Keys." Zen scratched the back of his head and swore he could hear crickets. He was looking at Lucy who was the most quiet out of everyone. He really didn't want his bonded sister to do anything life threatening to him for being the messenger, but the blank look she was giving him had the dark haired man on edge.

"I . . . I think I need a minute." Lucy closed her eyes and let the darkness sweep her away from the chaotic bull shit she found herself in.


	21. Chapter 20

Sorry about the wait on a new chapter! Hope you enjoy this one and thanks for your continued support!

* * *

Cristoff was starring at Lucy who was still asleep after passing out from the news that Zen had delivered. He was still shocked that something like this would come from Draco and that the dragon traditions were really that fucking insane. They had figured out a place in which only the dragon slayers, and one demon slayer, would be holed up so they wouldn't impregnate the majority of Pelerno. Then they ticked off the list of every slayer couple that was pregnant or had a child within the last eighteen months. Natus and Xally were currently pregnant, Emzadi and Laxus were hooped, Gajeel and Levy had their young twins as well as Sting and Yukino, no one knew about Gray and Juvia so that was a wild card, Cobra and Kinana were pregnant, Rogue and Lisanna were shit out of luck, they weren't sure about Ayala since to the majority of people there she didn't know who her mate was, and then there was Wendy. No one dared broach that subject with the newly matured dragon slayer and had unanimously decided that Lucy would be the best one to tell the blunette.

He looked upon the peaceful face of his mate, brushing a stray strand of her hair away. He was more than ready to mate with Lucy, but to do so in front of so many people was not ideal and neither of them wanted an audience for their first time together. Zen had made it perfectly clear to Cristoff that they would be able to enjoy each other's company and partake in oral sex, as long as the urge to mate could be kept at bay. Which was going to be a slight problem when Sunday rolled around and the full moon filled the night sky. Lucy had yet to witness one of his moon drunk stages and was interested to see how she would handle it, once he wasn't drunk and could recall what happened.

The group had also decided that everyone needed a break from everything that had been occurring lately and decided to head to a club tomorrow night. Which was still two days away from the full moon so his powers would still be under wraps, but there would still be some escaping and would more than likely cause above average grinding against one another. Cristoffwas just happy to be able to spend some time with Lucy and away from the craziness her life had become. After the full moon, they were going to look for the remaining Alpha keys and then tackle the dilemma of the fact that Kurino has a dragon egg. Kaleb was going to stay behind and work on the plan that Lucy had formulated and once it was soundproof would go over it with everyone.

"Cris," Lucy's groggy voice pulled him away from his musings. "I had the strangest dream."

"Care to share?"

"I had a dream that we were all dressed up in rabbit costumes in a huge theatre where Gajeel was performing and that the crowd actually enjoyed his singing!" Lucy looked slightly horrified before the two of them burst out laughing, tears escaping Lucy's eyes from laughing so hard. Once she calmed down enough to breath she crawled into Cristoff's lap and cuddled the large man. Lucy smiled when he wrapped his arms around her frame and kissed the top of her head. She was safe, happy and had the love of the most amazing man she had ever met. She was cursing herself for being completely and utterly stupid before and trying to keep this man at arm's reach. Bickslow's words had resonated with her so much and she was more than willing to accept she had screwed up.

"I'm sorry Cris."

"Sorry for what Lucy?"

"Honestly . . . Everything," she pulled away from the warmth on his broad chest to gaze into his beautiful eyes. "I was stupid to think that I could protect everyone on my own and that I didn't need anyone's help. I am especially sorry for all of the hurt I have caused you due to my selfish actions. I promise that from here on out that I will share everything that I am able to with you. I love you Cristoff Rendevere Pradesh." Lucy pulled the dark haired mage in for a kiss that he was all too willing to receive from the beautiful blonde in his lap.

"Let's go down and eat before you get swept away by our crazy families who'll want to take you out shopping for an outfit for the club we are heading to tonight."

"Dancing!" Lucy's eyes sparkled at the thought of being on the dancefloor. She had taken ballroom dancing her entire life and after the Grand Magic Games, she had been practicing dances such as the tango with Bickslow. She clapped her hands together at the thought of being able to dance with the seith mage again, then pecked Cristoff on the cheek and grabbed some clothes to change into after her shower. Cristoff watched her walk away, the sway of her hips the way her underwear hugged her round ass and all the way down her bare legs. Cristoff ran a hand down his face, sexually frustrated, but hopeful that Lucy would want to have some fun tonight.

* * *

Wendy had been wandering around the White Sea guild looking for any of her brothers, but it was like they had all vanished. She knew for a fact that they were avoiding her after hearing the end of a conversation with Thane and Kaleb. What she didn't yet know why, but she was determined to figure it out. Being the youngest slayer, and a female at that had caused her no amount of trouble. Her brothers all saw her as the one that needed protecting and all the boys she would have liked to date were terrified of what would happen if they hurt her, which wasn't likely to happen after she had hit her growth spurt. Wendy had entered her first heat cycle while Lucy had been away and entered dragon maturity, which had been a weird couple weeks as her body adjusted to the changes.

Wendy now had a decent sized rack, had grown several inches, and had opened her second origin. She had spent time training with Gajeel as well and had honed her hand to hand combat skills, not that she was near the level any of the other slayers were but it was a good start. Her healing abilities had been revved up as well and that took more time to figure out that she was happy with. She had been thinking about asking Cristoff or Xally to help her learn more about her healing abilities, but they with all the commotion lately she just hadn't been able to ask.

She had missed Lucy so much during everything though because she was the only that seemed to not treat her like she was still eight years old. Lucy answered every question to the best of her ability, especially when Lucy thought she was dying but found out it was just her period. There were some things she talked to Erza about such as fighting, training, or cake however she was just more comfortable talking to Lucy when it involved feelings, boys, sex, and anything else. Lucy never judged or told her 'you're too young to know' or 'we'll tell you when you're older.' Her philosophy was that if Wendy was asking about it when she was ready to learn about it. Lucy did have the sex talk with her when she turned fifteen and boys were actually interesting, add everything she had learned from Porlyusica and being around for several guild births and it didn't phase her.

Now she wasn't nervous when it came to talking about sex, she had an entire guild that was pervy and had spent some time with Cana whose mind literally built a mansion in the gutter and could dish it out as good as anyone. No, what she was freaking about was actually having sex with someone and it had been amplified by being in Bosco. Sex wasn't taboo like it was in Fiore and respected the openness of it, but being a virgin and having no experience she was afraid that whoever she ended up mating wouldn't be satisfied, or worse that she wouldn't be enough for their relationship. This had been weighing heavily on her mind and is what had spurred her to try to find her celestial sister.

"YOU WHAT!" Wendy turned her head towards Kaleb's office where she could feel Lucy's power escalating and watched as everyone cowered. They had all heard the stories of how the blonde bombshell thwarted their enemies and no one had any desire to get on her bad side.

"NONE OF YOU HAD THE BALLS TO SAY ANYTHING TO HER?" Wendy suddenly pitied whoever she was yelling at, but was happy she wasn't on the receiving end. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WOULD ALL IGNORE YOUR SISTER LIKE THAT. I AM ASHAMED OF ALL YOU FOR HOW YOU HAVE BEEN TREATING A MEMBER OF OUR FAMILY." Wendy watched as Lucy stormed out of the office and down the stairs to the main floor where she was given a wide berth. Lucy was glowing gold, but the magic around her was harsh and jagged in response to her anger. The blunette watched as Lucy's eyes landed on her and her magic instantly returned to the normal calm stage it was at 99% of the time.

"Hi, Lucy!" Wendy smiled at the blonde, knowing that her anger was directed at herself.

"Just the young woman I was looking for." Lucy grinned at the young slayer. "Kaleb told me you needed to talk with me, which is good because I also need to talk with you. How about we go into town for a meal and then get some shopping in before tonight's festivities?"

"Over my dead body is squirt coming with us!" Gajeel yelled from Kaleb's doorway, glaring at the celestial mage. The temperature dropped several degrees as Lucy spun to lock eyes with the iron slayer.

"That can be arranged Gajeel! Levy would even be on my side and you know it!" Lucy watched as the other members in the office peaked their heads out, but she honestly didn't give two shits about them right now so she grabbed Wendy and reacting on instinct the two mages disappeared.

"What the ever loving fuck did bunny just do?"

"I think she just teleported . . ." Laxus said running a hand over his face. A pissed off Lucy was never a good thing, but if she told any of their mates that would all be royally fucked.

* * *

Lucy was happy to be away from all of her pigheaded kin, even if she was confused as to how she ended up in the bazaar with Wendy but she'd call Capricorn or Leo out later to discuss it. She was furious that every single male slayer from Fairy Tail had been avoiding Wendy so that they didn't have to tell her what they all already knew and when she was informed how they volunteered her to be the one to inform the youngest slayer she was pissed. However, the icing on the cake was the when Gajeel told her that Wendy didn't need to be included because this was for adults only. She had kept her mouth shut and her calm demeanor until then, afterward she just exploded.

Now she was away from all the testosterone and moronic men that were in her life and could concentrate on just Wendy. Lucy wasn't happy with what Zen had informed them about, however, there wasn't anything she could do about it except make sure their mating was far away from civilization. Lucy and Wendy walked in comfortable silence until they reached the small Ministrellan bistro that had the spicy noodles she had fallen in love with. Lucy found a seat for them and when the waiter came around she ordered two meals with two fizzy strawberry drinks. Then she launched into the what had all transpired in the office in regards to her own mating and what would happen to everyone else around her.

"If you hadn't reached maturity yet then we wouldn't be having this conversation, however, that isn't the case. You will need to find someone you trust to be with when the time comes, unless you have found your mate here in Bosco," Lucy had carefully watched the blunette with curiosity and was happy that she understood what was to happen, however the moment Lucy mentioned Wendy finding someone to be with or a mate her cheeks flushed bright red. She wasn't sure what the reason for the blush was, but she knew she was going to find out.

"Lucy I've . . . I've never had sex! What if I'm awful? What if I do something wrong? What if my mate doesn't like me or sex? What if . . ."

"Breath Wendy," Lucy smiled while grabbing the sky slayer's hands in her own. "I know it's scary and I know that you are not emotionally ready for this, but don't forget you have some time. I still have to find the remaining Alpha keys in order to summon Draco and be able to mate with Cristoff. If you are that nervous I could ask Kaleb about getting you a Suddepah." Wendy shook her head no. "What about if you sat in on another female's lesson, then you could observe and learn that way?"

"Well," Wendy was going over the idea in her head. She'd be nervous no matter what happened, but maybe if she was educated in the pleasures sex could bring she wouldn't be AS nervous. "Can we talk to Kaleb together? Will you sit with me during the first one, if someone agrees to it?"

"Absolutely!" Lucy smiled as they finished up their noodles and continued on to find a shop where they could find outfits for the night. "Wendy do you know who your mate is?" Wendy immediately became wide-eyed and immediately found the ground to be quite interesting while squeaking out a yes. "I thought you'd be happy to know who your mate is? It's what all dragon slayers strive for."

"I am happy, but Lucy he's . . . he's just stupidly good looking!" Wendy whined to the older mage. "Men shouldn't be allowed to look that good! He's been so polite to me as well, he's several years older than me and definitely experienced in more than just sex. I just feel so . . . so childish compared to him. It's intimidating." Wendy followed Lucy into a store that had beautifully made clothes.

"Are you going to tell me who he is?" Wendy looked around the shop before whispering the name of her mate into Lucy's ear. Lucy's eyes widened considerably when she was told the name and could understand all of Wendy's fears and reservations. "Well how about we work on finding you some clothes that fit your age and show just how mature you have become, then we'll worry about that man?" Wendy instantly perked up and hugged Lucy.

"Thank you!"

"In the meantime, I will talk to Kaleb as well as Cristoff and Xally to help train you, then we can put your mind at ease and keep you occupied. Hmmmm?"

"You are the best Lucy!" Wendy beamed at the blonde and felt lighter than she had in a while.

"I know some others from the guild should be joining us shortly, so I just want to let you know that you can come to me about anything. And one day when you are ready I want to hear all about how you realized he was your mate."

"Deal! Oh look it's Mira, Levy, Erza, and Cana."

"I'm sure the rest of the crew will be here shortly, so no more worrying about the future. For now, we will focus on the present and all these gorgeous clothes." The two women giggled before greeting the other mages from Fairy Tail.


	22. Chapter 21

To say that shopping with all of the girls had been crazy was an understatement, especially after Xally and Emzadi showed up and helped the girls into more . . . clothes fitting of the culture. There were quite a few girls who were still blushing from having the two Pradesh women storm in and take over their shopping experience and Lucy had to calm Erza down with strawberry cake, courtesy of Virgo. They were all not jam-packed into her room getting ready for the evening with Cancer doing hair, Virgo supplying food and drinks, and Aries painting nails. No one had put their clothes on yet, but Lucy couldn't wait to see how the men would react to the change in the Fioran women.

Erza, Levy, Juvia, and Mira had been the worst people to convince that showing some skin wasn't the end of the world. You would think that women who could prance around in skimpy outfits, or outfits that were torn to shreds, wouldn't have as big of an issue with it but you'd be wrong. Wendy was the most relaxed and excited one out of the group, which was super cute and Lucy was excited about her outfit and to see if she could draw the eye of her mate. Cana fit right in with Xally and Emzadi - a most dangerous trio of women to get together that Lucy had ever witnessed! Ayala was having fun, but you could tell that she was nervous about the outing, after all being locked in a temple most of your life doesn't give a person a lot of experiences. Evergreen, Yukino, Lisana, and Kinana had volunteered to babysit all of the children and voluntold their men that they'd be helping. Cobra was the only one that hadn't groaned but he secretly loved kids, especially the Redfox twins since they were wild and rowdy so they got along swimmingly.

Jellal, Gajeel, and Gray were who she was most interested in seeing the reactions of. It wasn't very often that their wives wore revealing clothes out in public, so it was sure to be a game changer. Lucy was excited for the night and everything that would come with it, but truth be told she was a little nervous about tomorrow when Cristoff would go through the first of a three-day phase of being moon drunk. The stories she had heard from Vander about what happened on those days had her feeling jittery and a bit overwhelmed. Was he going to need sex those nights since they weren't mated yet? Was she alone going to be enough to sate his needs going forward? Would he even know who she was in that state? So many questions and nothing could quell them until she experienced it first-hand tomorrow, Sunday, and Monday.

Once Cristoff was back to normal though she wanted to head out and look for the last two Alpha Keys, along with the remaining four dragon eggs. She had ideas about how to find the two remaining keys as well as how to find the remaining eggs but needed a word with Kaleb first. Sydelle was also a very real threat to everyone after her plan to capture all the men and whatever she had in store for Lucy. Maybe Lucy wouldn't be part of a villains plan in the future, but for now, she'd have to man up and deal with it as it came. She also needed to finalize things with the nest and with Fairy Tail, so that was added to the list too but thankfully she had help there. For now, she was going to enjoy being young and in love, surrounded by her friends and family.

Lucy was eager to see what Cristoff would be wearing tonight since he was generally always clothed from head to toe for missions of being at the guild. There was the odd time he'd take his shirt off to spar, in which case she'd have to watch how much she drooled, and then there was when they were sleeping together and he'd wear silk sleep pants and no shirt. The man was just too delicious for his own good and Lucy was planning on getting a taste of her lunar slayer tonight! Emzadi had helped her formulate a solid plan, from clothing to dancing to luring him out of the club. Sex wasn't allowed just yet, but everything else was fair game and she was going to capitalize on it. Kisses and light touches were amazing, but the burning need she felt for Cristoff needed to be quenched and he was just the man for the job.

"Alright, ladies!" Emzadi shouted to the women in Lucy's room. "Here are your cloaks to wear so that we can actually make it to the club tonight, so come and grab one. I also have lined up shots of Boscan spiced rum, so let's gather round and do some shots and have a nice buzz going for when we arrive."

"Now you're talkin" Cana yelled and sat beside the solar dragon slayer followed by everyone else.

"Here's to a night of fun with our family and friends!" Lucy held up the shot glass and everyone cheersed before downing the first of several shots.

* * *

Cristoff was standing on the entryway with his brothers, brother-in-laws, and a couple other familiar faces. Natsu and Gray were already egging each other on, with Jellal playing mediator and Laxus looking like he wanted to punch the two men. Gajeel and Vander were having an in-depth conversation about traveling via shadows and voids in which Gajeel was learning quite a bit. Vander was offering to help train Gajeel who was cracking his knuckles in excitement. Kaleb was going over an upcoming mission with Presca and Beck, who decided to join in the festivities. Which left Zen and Bickslow who were excitedly talking about being an uncle and wondering if they should start bets on if their nieces, nephews, or one of each would be more like Natus or Xally. They were a bit perturbed that Cristoff, Kaleb, Cobra, and Bickslow refused to tell them the gender of the babies but it was Xally's request so they wouldn't go against it. Scheming about getting Natsu drunk so that he'd tell them was now in the works and Cristoff just laughed and shook his head.

"Look who decided to join the party, finally," Laxus mumbled the last part under his breath, but his mate still heard and playfully swatted his arm.

"It takes time to look as good as we do! Besides," Emzadi purred pressing her breasts into his arm, "I guarantee every single male will enjoy what they see tonight and get some kind of action."

"Where are Farron and Freed?" Lucy asked as she approached the group of guys.

"They're busy with dad working on some project that I had discussed earlier with them," Kaleb commented after kissing Mira lightly on the lips leaving the take over mage with a pretty blush. "I told them to come out with us, but they're not really into the club scene."

"Oh well! I'm sure they're enjoying themselves anyways knowing those men like I do," Vander said wiggling his eyebrows. "Now I was drinks and sweating bodies pressing up against me, so let's head out!" Vander cast his shadows around the entire group and took them to the club doors within seconds.

"Dammit Vander!" Laxus yelled. "A little warning would have been nice you jack ass."

"Where's the fun in that!" smirked the shadowquip mage. "Come on sugar tits. You look like you need a drink and then some heavy grinding," Vander winked as he threw his arm around Cana's waist who smirked back at the tanned man. Lucy laughed at the pair and snuggled into Cristoff's side enjoying his warmth.

"You look amazing tonight," Lucy murmured into his chest. He was still wearing tight leather pants but they were navy blue instead of his normal black or white pair. He had also opted for a white sleeveless shirt which showed off his muscular arms, which was one of her favorite features on a man. Watching Cristoff put his hands behind his head so you could see the contours of his rippling muscles was a sure fire way to ignite her desire. Lucy smiled and went over the plan in her head for the umpteenth time.

"You ready to head in?" Cristoff looked down at his blonde mate who was just realizing they were the only ones not inside the club yet. She smiled brightly at him and tugged his hand to follow her in past the large doors. They waited for their turns in line to hand over jackets, if they had brought one, and Lucy was excited to drop her cloak off and see the look on Cristoff's face. She had gone with something a little less there as per Emzadi's suggestion while Xally and Cana chiming in saying how sexy she was. Lucy looked over her shoulder at her mate and purposely bit her lip, drawing his gave to her lips.

Cristoff smiled at Lucy when she looked over her shoulder at him, but then sucked in a short breath when she bit her lip. He was now keenly aware of the woman standing in front of him as she slowly undid the buttons on her cloak and slid it down her bare shoulders before sliding it completely off to hand to the check-in clerk. She was trying to kill him! There was no way that he'd last the entire night in the dress she was wearing if it could be called a dress. Her hair was piled up on her head which was done purposely to show the entire expanse of her bareback. There was a small strap the was wrapped around her neck and the bottom of the dress barely covered her ass which was swaying side to side as she walked forward into the club. _What I wouldn't do to bite that lush ass right now._

Cristoff adjusted his arousal so it was less noticeable to all, but when Lucy turned around to face him he wanted to fall to his knees a worship her. The sky blue dress had a plunging neckline that showed off plenty of her ample bust and was skin tight but flared at her hips highlighting her curves. Cristoff found it hard to breathe and he was pretty sure that all of the blood flow had rushed to his rock hard cock. Heaven help him if she was doing this accidentally because he didn't think he could handle the blue balls. She was stunning and he was ready to haul her out of the club and ravish her for the rest of the night.

"Why are your eyes glowing Cristoff?" Lucy's brown doe eyes stared into his white pools.

"This is what happens when I'm hot and bothered, which is all your doing by the way." Lucy didn't apologize but the look on her face was a pleased one which led Cristoff to believe she had planned this. "You're going to be the death of me."

"I can't be the death of you if we haven't done anything yet Cris-toff," Lucy was really close to his body but seemingly refused to touch him. She was teasing him and if she really wanted to play cat and mouse he was all for it after all a cat always gets its prey in the end. "We should find the others. I'm dying to see what the other men think about their women and how the ladies are going to handle all the attention." Lucy grabbed Cristoff's hand and wove their way through the crowd of bodies, but she hadn't been able to spot anyone yet and was frustrated until she saw the balcony. She pointed up to the balcony and Cristoff followed the direction she was pointing in and nodded his head before have Lucy jerk his arm forward in her excitement to get up there.

There were a lot of people but most were sitting and talking, so the balcony wasn't near as crowded as the bottom floor. Lucy let go of Cristoff's hand and ran to the balcony to see who she could spot first. Cristoff went and ordered a drink and watched Lucy, her smile and the happy glow was infectious and couldn't help laugh when she jumped on the spot when she found her first couple, watching her ass jiggle in that tight material wasn't half bad either. Curious to see who she spotted first he threw back the rest of his drink and walked up behind Lucy, pressed his chest to her back and caged her in with either hand on the railing. Lucy looked up at Cristoff and gave him a gentle peck on his chin before turning her gaze back to the crowd of people.

"Who did you spot first?" He asked the giddy mage.

"Gajeel and Levy." Lucy had a string of giggles that came out after she said their names and pointing at there direction Cristoff could see why. Levy had somehow managed to jump onto the metal slayers back, had her hands down the front of his black t-shirt while nibbling on his ear. Gajeel was trying to act unaffected by his petite mate, but it was a losing battle. Lucy all but squealed when Gajeel lost it and managed to swing Levy to his chest, push her up against a wall and dominate their kiss.

"Think we'll have more Redfox kids wandering around in ten months?"

"Mavis I hope not! Slate and Gale are already a menace, so I hope they'll wait until the boys are a little bit older and maybe not so . . . energetic." Lucy sighed because she loved her nephews but those two terrors were definitely all Gajeel most days. "Look there's Laxus & Emzadi! Is Em doing what I think she is?" Laxus was sitting in a booth with Emzadi sitting in his lap, one hand was definitely down his pants if the look on the lightning slayers face was anything to judge by. She giggled at the thought of Laxus being a smidge of a voyeur tonight.

"There's Kaleb and Mira. Over in the far corner there." Cristoff pointed out with a grin on his face. Mira had Kaleb up against the wall, hands above his head rubbing her body against his and lips pressing kisses along his neck. Looks like the she-devil had things well handled when it came to his always-in-control brother.

"Eeeeek! There's Erza and Jellal. Mavis, they are cute." If Cristoff could see Lucy's face he was certain that there'd be hearts in her eyes. Erza was sitting on her husband's lap with one hand caressing her bare back and another rubbing her hand. The scarlet-haired warrior had a light blush on her cheeks but her eyes were glowing with uncontained happiness. Not quite embracing the Boscan culture, but definitely out of their comfort zones compared to how they acted in Magnolia.

"Damn, Bix can still dance!" Cristoff stated and then pointed out for Lucy to see. Lucy knew the seith mage could dance based on some drunken nights at the guild but what she wasn't prepared for was how well Ayala was keeping up with him. Bickslow kept up with the fast-paced song with twirls, grinding, and quick kisses which Ayala was greedily taking in. She was excited to see the seith mage so happy and was hoping that Ayala had told him that they were mates. Then Lucy groaned.

"I take you just saw Natsu on the dancefloor?" laughed Cristoff when Lucy shook her head yes. "Come on Lucy, he isn't that terrible at dancing and Xally is getting a good laugh from all of it." Lucy still shook her head wondering how someone who could fight could do anything but the funky chicken on the dance floor. She was embarassed and she wasn't even in the same vicinity as he was.

"Well at least Gray has a better grasp on things with Juvia, who isn't a puddle so that's a plus," Lucy commented when she spotted the ice and water mages not too far from Natsu. Juvia had her back pressed against Gray's naked chest and was pressing her ass into his groin while Gray kissed her neck and ran his hands up her sides. "Maybe Noelani will have a sibling sooner than we think. Is that Presca dancing with Wendy?"

"Yea it is. That's a little odd since Presca doesn't generally dance," Cristoff stated to the blonde. "Usually he just sits in a corner minding his own business. I wonder how the little sky slayer managed to drag his ass out on the dance floor?" Cristoff was surprised to see Presca out there and having fun. The two mages weren't doing anything sexual, just happily dancing in one another's company. What drew his attention was the fact that Zen and Beck were watching the two with interest and that brought a small growl to his chest. Too many men were looking at the youngest slayer and he didn't like it, not one bit.

"Relax Cristoff. Wendy might be small but she is powerful and can hold her own against most here," Lucy smiled up at her dark-haired man with a smile. "Besides the moment her power levels rose Natsu, Gray, Laxus, and Gajeel would be there before she could say 'Boo'. Which may or may not be a good thing."

"Well I suppose," grumbled the lunar slayer. He may not have known Wendy long but he already pictured her as another sister. "Oh Van. Always gotta make a scene."

"If it makes you feel better Cana isn't helping much. You'd think she was Boscan," Lucy chuckled followed by a low rumbling amusement from Cristoff. The two mages were on the dance floor and all up in one another's business so much that you could barely see where one stopped and the other ended. "Its only a matter of time before they head off to the bathroom or alley to finish the deed. Hopefully, Van can keep up to Cana, she can be quite insatiable."

"Are you implying that us Pradesh men are unable to keep up with you Fioran women?" Cristoff's amused smirk tugged at the corners of his lips.

"Hmmmm," Lucy hummed faking thinking about the subject. "Yes. Yes, I think all you Pradesh men will have trouble with us fairies. What are you going to do about it?"

"You're taunting a dragon sweetheart. Are you sure you want to do that?" The husky edge had returned to his voice and Lucy could feel her insides melt.

"Hope you can keep up Cris-toff." Lucy found the same string she had used earlier to transport her and Wendy our of the guild and started to grasp it. "Catch me if you can." A golden light erupted and Lucy was gone. Cristoff smirked with a predatory grin on his face.

"Let the game begin."


	23. Chapter 22

Pradesh Week was insane & I adored every minute of it! Now it's time to get back at it with regular updates to this story and When Lightning Strikes. Enjoy and as always please review, thanks for the love!

* * *

Lucy landed on the lone rock just off the coast of Pelerno where she had run too after her first kind of fight with Cristoff. The moon was almost full and the stars filled the night sky as she stared upon them, picking out the constellations of her contracted spirits. The first she'd kissed the hulking lunar dragon slayer was on this rock, the thought of it had her body warming up. Lucy knew that teasing Cristoff wasn't a good idea, especially with the full moon just two days away, but she couldn't help liking the way his hungry gaze looked her up and down. She huffed at the time restraint that had been put on their mating and that overstuffed dragon better have a damn good explanation from cock blocking her.

"Hey beautiful," Cristoff appeared behind in a soft white glow of magic and pulled her into his arms. "You know I'd very much like to play this game of cat and mouse when we actually mate, or I guess after since we need an audience." Lucy giggled and rubbed her cheek against his chest, arms tucked into her chest as she leaned against him. "I wish I could do something more than kiss you right now too, but with the mating call being so strong and the full moon almost here I can't risk it."

"I know and I'm sorry for being a tease, well sort of." Lucy smiled into his pale eyes. "I'm nervous about our mating in front of everyone. It's so . . . . so voyeuristic and that definitely isn't who I am. Vander would be all over that though, I think." Cristoff laughed agreeing with the blonde. "What if I'm really awful, or I say or do something weird, or what if . . ." Cristoff silenced her fears with a soft, gentle kiss that had Lucy sighing in content. This man knew exactly what she needed to calm her nerves and damn it all if kissing wasn't a great way to ease her anxiety over all of this.

"I feel the same way you do Lucy, but if it makes you feel better at least it'll be super quick. With this much sexual tension building up and how much my dragon is harping on me to make you mine I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't more than ten minutes. Not super pleasurable, but I assure you that once I have you back to my room that I'll worship your body properly, from head to toe." Cristoff's eyes flashed brightly before he scooped his giggling mate into his arms bridal style.

"Cris, what are you doing?"

"You're starting to shiver and the best way to cure that is to snuggle closely with you. I know of an empty king bed that's calling our names."

"That poor lonely bed. We better make sure that it gets proper company."

Cana slammed Vander against the brick wall in the alleyway, lips locked firmly on Vander's as he palmed her large breasts. She groaned and he slipped his tongue into her mouth, teasing hers into playing with him. Dammit all if the brunette hadn't been driving him insane all night with her well placed grinding, light touches, and kisses over his body. Granted two could play at that game and he knew that he was skilled in all things seduction, but fuck so was Cana. He'd never met a woman that was wicked on his own level and he was intrigued as hell to see how well they connected. He was letting her take the lead, set the pace for now, and was incredibly turned on by how aggressive she was being with his person.

He slipped a hand under her skirt, rubbing his knuckles over her damp thong, grinning at how affected she was by him. Cana had stopped the kiss and was panting slightly from how worked up she was, not that he could blame her. He had his eyes set on her when they were grouped together to find Lucy and hadn't been able to do more than place a few good jokes which she reciprocated nicely. He is had him speechless at one point in time – HIM – speechless! Kaleb thought it was hilarious too, stupid mindbending magic.

Cana hand was stroking Vander's length through his incredibly tight leather pants and he was thoroughly enjoying the feeling. He slipped two fingers into her wet folds, aggressively pumping them in and out. Cana threw her head back letting out a throaty moan as Vander bit her pebbling nipple through her top. This was what he had been hoping to do to her several weeks ago and all this pent-up frustration had him on edge, well now he had her on edge.

"Van . . . Vander please. Make me . . . make me cum!"

"With pleasure." Vander started making scissors motions with his fingers while sucking hard on her nipples. Vander manoeuvered her to that her back was placed up against the cool building wall, giving him easier access to all that she was willingly giving. He couldn't describe the need to have this woman, something he fully planned on asking Bickslow in the next couple days, but for now, his only plan was to ravage Cana. Make her scream his name as many times as possible before noon and he was well onto making that happen.

"Fuuuuck Van!" said mage smirked against her nipple as she came apart around his masterful fingers. He left them buried in her wet pussy as he kissed her heatedly, pushing his throbbing erection into her thigh. "Take me home Van. That performance earns a reward!" Vander couldn't argue with her there as he swept her up in his shadows and back to his apartment.

* * *

Kaleb was in love! He'd never met a woman who could actually force him, Mr. Always-in-Control, up against a wall and keep him there for more than a couple minutes. Mira was paying homage to his neck and lips while he was listening in on her inner monologue between her and her four demons, all of which were demanding that she take what she wanted from the platinum blonde in her sights. Kaleb was willingly going along with all of this because he knew was curious about what she was really wanted to do with him, plus the way she was grinding herself into him was stalling his thought process. Vander had disappeared from the club along with Cristoff, who he hoped would be able to contain his urges for the celestial mage, Gray, and Juvia along with Gajeel and Levy, Jellal and Erza had also left the club with all four aiming to add to their families, Emzadi, Laxus, Xally, and Natsu had high tailed it out of there the moment things got too heated in the club, the dragon slayer men not wanting to show off their mates to the entire club. Which left Wendy on the dancefloor with three men dancing around her, the bluenette enjoying her first real chance at celebrating being a young adult female. He knew one of them was her mate but before he could discern that Mira pressed her hand against his leather-clad cock and he forgot where he was going with that train of thought.

"I need you, Kaleb, I need you right now." Mirajane huskily whispered into his ear. She'd be wanting this man since they started their mission and while she had gotten a sample of him a couple days ago it wasn't enough. A burning desire to have this man naked skin pressed against hers had given her many wet dreams, none of which ended in a happy ending for her. She was sexually frustrated and damn it all if he wasn't the most fuckable man she'd ever had the pleasure of being with. This man who her demons bowed down too, who could enter her mind and calm the craziness of her everyday life, a man who loved his guild as much as she loved hers, and the one time they'd had sex wasn't half bad either.

"Not half bad? If that's the only thought to cross your mind about us then I'm not fucking you well enough." Mira felt a pulse of need shoot straight to her pussy with his words. The one time they's had sex was the best she'd ever had but she wasn't sure if it'd been too long and anything felt good or if he was really just that talented. "Oh baby, I'm talented. Let me remind you of all the things I can do to you." Kaleb was a master at all things involving his mindbending magic, which included showing Mirajane just what he planned on doing to her when they left the club.

The guildmaster suite in White Sea was no small area, it was designed for the master and his family to live there. His siblings would occasionally stay there with him from time to time but that large living area had been too quiet for too long and tonight he planned on filling it with Mira's moans. She had been showing him some things that she'd like him to do with her when she was working him up to the point of exploding, and couldn't help but smile when he found out she was a fan of bondage. The woman kept Fairy Tail functioning on a daily basis with a smile and kept her demons at bay every moment of every day, so what the take-over mage really wanted was him to tie her up to anything and have his way with her. Her demons would submit to him, as she would, and she could let go for a small amount of time.

He had a leather cuffs and a blindfold he was going to use on her. Mira could feel the cool friction of the cuffs on her wrists and ankles as Kaleb strapped her down to the bed and the black blindfold that cut off her sense of sight. His fingers trickled down her sides, her sense of touch being heightened from two others being taken away. He'd ripped her clothes off her body leaving her naked under his intense gaze. His cool breath was blown across her bare nipples hardening them further before he continued across her stomach and her bare pussy. The coolness against her wet center had her panting with need, moaning his name, telling him she needed more.

"Mira," Kaleb whispered into her ear, "I can make all of this a reality, but we need to head back." Mira opened her eyes and found that she was still in the club with Kaleb pressing her against the wall now. He'd mentally thought about what he was planning to do with her while still in public, and fuck if Mira wasn't even more turned on by everything that encompassed the man.

"Please . . . take me home. I want that to be a reality, and so much more." The two mages left, but not before Kaleb told Presca, Beck, and Zen that they were to ensure that Wendy made it home safely or they could deal with Lucy's wrath when she found out. All three mages shivered at the very real threat of Scary Lucy and agreed that they'd ensure that she was taken care of. Kaleb left the last four mages to their own devices, after all, he did have a woman who needed to be chained up on his arm.

"Are you guys ok?" Wendy asked when all three of them stopped dancing with her. She hadn't sensed that there was anything wrong in the club, knew that her kin had all taken off to be with their mates. This had left her alone with three very attractive men, one of which was her mate. Would she be able to tell him that they were destined to be together, forever, tonight? Should she wait until later and maybe a more appropriate place than this? Was she even ready to be someone's mate, to have sex? Wendy was so confused by her bodies reactions, the way her pulse quickened every time he happened to touch her and yet her head was still warring within herself, and the annoying voice sounded a hell of a lot like Carla.

"Kaleb was just letting us know that we are the last ones here for the night and that we need to make sure you make it home safely," Beck's multi-colored eyes met Wendy's milk chocolate eyes.

"He threatened us with Scary Lucy if something should happen," Zen looked over at Presca who stated, "We all decided it'd be best to avoid Lucy's ire at all costs."

"Can't say I blame you," Wendy giggled and leaned on the closest mage, which happened to be Beck. "I am feeling tired. Are you guys alright with heading back to the guild?" The three men all smiled and nodded at the young woman as they exited the premises, walking slowly since Wendy was starting to fall back. Beck went and scooped up the tiny woman and continued with the other two men who were talking about how Lucy was going to handle the three days of Cristoff's moon drunkenness.

"I think she'll be just as bad as Cris," Zen said as they walked down the quiet streets of Pelerno. "The moon will resonate with the stars and she'll become all horny and insatiable as he usually is. Wonder if he'll only want Lucy or if he'll still want others as well?"

"I think that since they haven't mated that she'll be alright," Presca replied looking at the archangel mage. "The mate bond hasn't been formed, so I don't think she'll feel anything other than the regular pull. She's strong-willed and I think that Lucy will handle it well."

"I think it'll be a bit of both," Beck chimed in as the other two men looked his way. "I think Lucy will feel the pull to Cristoff, but will more than likely keep a level head through it all since they aren't mated. However, I think that Cristoff will be harder to contain knowing his mate is so close and him not being able to take her, that will the problem." Zen and Presca hmmm in response and mulled over what the large beast mage had stated. "I'm going to put her in her room for the night. Will I see you both in the morning for our spar?"

"Oh you know it!" laughed Zen as he and Presca took off to their own rooms to get some much needed sleep. Beck walked into Wendy's quaint little room and set her underneath the covers. He kissed her forehead before standing to leave when he felt a tug on his hand and looked over his shoulder to see Wendy's tired eyes looking at him.

"Becky," she stifled a yawn with her hand," will you stay the night, please?" The look in her eyes had his feet moving before his brain caught up to her request. He stripped down to his boxer briefs, sliding into the queen bed. Wendy rolled over so her head was nestled in the crook of his arm and one hand resting on his chest. She kissed his side before whispering a tired 'goodnight' and fell right back asleep. Beck was comfortable with the petite blunette in his arms and felt himself difting off into dreamland, his last thought was on whether or not he'd have to face an army of angry dragon slayers in the morning or not.


	24. Chapter 23

When you have to re-read your own story to figure out where you were at . . . and this is why I am only focusing on 1 story here on out lol I am happy to say that I should have this story finished in the next 7 chapters or so. Thanks to everyone who have stuck it out for my first fanfic, which I know was super clunky the first 10 chapters or so, but I feel like I have got my groove all figured out as a newer writer. We have 2 Alpha Keys to find, 5 dragon eggs to locate, and some baddies that need to be taken out, plus the long-awaited mating, and I promise no more cliffhangers - well not in this story anyways.

* * *

Wendy woke up feeling the early morning rays on her face and she snuggled into her heated pillow. _Heated pillow?_ The young slayer cracked open an eye to see tanned skin covered in loose strands of hunter green hair. The sky slayer pushed herself up so that she was resting on her elbows as she stared at the familiar face of White Sea's beast mage. She looked down to realize she was still in her clothes from last night, which was off to the side showing a decent amount of her chest but she couldn't find herself to care while Beck was asleep. His hair was all over the pillow causing her to giggle quietly to herself as her eye traveled down face to his shirtless chest. The man definitely worked hard for his well-toned body as her fingers lightly traced the muscle of his right pectoral, wetting her lips with her tongue as she thought about licking the outline.

Wendy was too focused on her exploring to notice that Beck had woken up and was watching her with a glazed over look and a small smile. He closed his eyes and tried to keep his breathing as even as possible so as not to alarm her. Beck had been drawn to Wendy's innocent beauty from the moment she walked into the guild and all thoughts of wanting to be with Kaleb seemed to vanish. The unrequited love he felt for the guild master wasn't even a second thought when he heard her laugh for the first time. However, he knew better than to get too close to a slayer since they each had a mate out in the world for them. He had been talking with Wendy more and more lately, encouraged by Lucy's small smiles at the two and Wendy's shyness slowly disappearing around him.

Lucy had talked to him before they had gone out to the club, wanted to warn him about what the other dragons saw her as. They seemed to think that she was still the young ten-year-old that had been brought to the guild after the defeat of Nirvana, not the mature female dragon slayer that she was. Lucy told him that if we wanted to pursue her she wouldn't interfere unless he broke her heart, then she'd break his dick. She gave him a few pointers about the young dragon slayer but told him that he'd need to be patient with her as this was all new, even with Emzadi's help. Beck had promised not to rush her, he was a beast mage after all and knew not to corner a scared animal. Lucy smiled, kissed him on the cheek, and wished him good luck.

Right now he was more concerned about letting Wendy freely explore his body without causing her any distress or embarrassment while trying to calm his wakening member. Not that he wasn't enjoying the feeling of her fingers running across his skin or the way her breathe was tickling his side, he just wasn't sure how she'd take it if she figured out that he was awake. He bit the inside of his cheek when her tongue swirled around his nipple, there was no way he was going to be able to stop his erection from pressing against his boxers. The sheet that had been covering them had been pushed off them when Wendy shifted herself so that she was more comfortable laying beside the large beast master.

She pressed her palm down his chest towards his belly button eliciting a low moan from Beck. Her dainty hands felt so good on his hot skin, her innocent touches were driving him crazy. He opened his eyes to see Wendy's wide brown ones looking deeply into his multicolored ones, searching for something. She stopped her exploring and sat on the backs of her calves, a slight blush on her cheeks but not willing to look away from him. Beck pushed himself onto his right arm so that he could face her, not quite sure what to say or do.

"Beck," Wendy's quiet voice trembled a little as she spoke, "Can I . . . can I kiss you?" She knew it was silly to ask since most people would just act, but this was NOT her area of expertise. If he had been drowning and needed mouth-to-mouth then she'd be able to do that, work in a professional setting. The only boy she had ever kissed was Romeo a handful of times so she lacked confidence and experience, but really really wanted to kiss the green haired mage in her bed. He smiled at her and moved himself up into a sitting position so that she could take this at her own pace. Beck was not expecting her to sit on his lap with her legs on either side of his waist. His erection was pulsing at how close she was to pressing herself against him but he didn't act on his own needs, this was all about her.

Wendy knew that she was still blushing as sat in the large man's lap, knew that she was showing an ample amount of cleavage from the way his eyes roamed over them when her shirt shifted again, had seen how hard he was after she had teased him some. Her inner dragon was purring in delight making Wendy feel sexy and powerful for the first time ever. Sexual prowess wasn't something she knew about but she was trusting her inner dragon and her own feelings towards her mate. Had known it was him when their fingers accidentally brushed against one another as he handed her a drink. The shock of it all had taken her by surprise which had overridden her dragon's desire to throw him onto a table and mate him right there.

Beck couldn't wait any longer to feel her lips pressed against his, cradling her head he took the initiative and kissed her first. She responded eagerly to his advance nibbling on his lower lip with her dragon canines, he moaned into the kiss and she took advantage with her tongue. Beck pulled Wendy closer to him, needing her to feel how affected he was. Wendy ground herself onto his erection pulling back to moan as a new sensation pulsed over her body, doing it again and sucking in a breath this time as the felt the sparks again.

"Wendy," Beck spoke softly against her neck, "What do you want? How can I help you?"

"I don't know," she breathily responded as she continued to grind against him. "So new, but so good." Beck moaned while kissing her neck, wondering when the last time he had an orgasm with a partner that was still fully clothed. "Beck, ohhh Beck. I wanted . . . to tell you . . . oh earlier that you're my . . . my mate." Beck stopped moving altogether then, felt like she'd stolen the air from his lungs at her confession. "Beck?" Wendy needed him to know, granted this wasn't actually what she had in mind, but now she grew nervous. What is he didn't want her? What if he wasn't interested at all? What if her innocence was a turn-off? She felt his large hands cup either side of her face bringing her face up to meet his.

"Do not fear my rejection of you little dragon," Beck pecked her bruised lips. "Your confession caught me by surprise is all. I know better than most what it means to be a mate, having two dragon slayers in the guild plus being a beast mage, I have the upper hand with over most. Now little dragon what is it you need." Beck nibbled on her earlobe as his hands moved to grab her ass and press her hot core against his strained cock. "Tell me how far you want to go. We can easily cum with our clothes on, we can use just out finger or just our mouths. What are you ready for Wendy?"

Wendy was trying to focus on his words but his lips brushing across her neck and his hands on her ass slowly rocking against him had her mind in a haze. Was she ready for sex - no. Was she ready for anything other than what they were doing now - no. How do you tell a man who has fucked countless people that you're not confident enough to do more? Her dragon huffed in annoyance at not being able to take its mate but was encouraging Wendy to take off the top she was wearing, since it was practically falling off of her now.

"I don't think I am ready for much more than what we're doing now, but . . ." Wendy pulled the top over her head, baring her nude torso to her mate while still wearing the tight shorts. "I want you to be able to touch me, well part of me. Over time we can build up to other ways to enjoy each other." She'd never let a man touch her like this before, wasn't sure what it would feel like but was willing to try.

"Oh little dragoness, you honor me with such a privilege." Beck kissed her heatedly as he brought his hands from her ass to her round breasts. Not overly large but enough to fill his hands as he massaged the ivory globes. He felt her nipples pebble under his palms, smiling into the kiss at how responsive she was to his touch. He rolled them between his forefingers and thumbs as she moaned into the kiss and ground harder against him. She pulled away from their kiss, her senses on fire as he placed light kisses along her neck, across her collarbone, between the valley of her breasts. He licked one nipple before sucking on it hard while still teasing the other one. Wendy wrapped her legs around his lower back then, placing her wet core alongside his length to feel that delicious friction rub more.

Beck knew she was close, could feel her body already starting to tense from his ministrations but he was also so close. He felt like a schoolboy getting his rocks off for the first time, but damn it all if he wasn't enjoying it thoroughly. Watching Wendy enjoying her first sexual encounter with him had stroked his ego in more ways that one and her boldness in letting him touch her breasts had almost sent him overboard then. He sucked a little harder, meeting her thrust for thrust, her moans becoming louder as he continued to build her up. He switched nipples, after a couple of rather hard sucks she came apart screaming his name which ended up being muffled as she bit his shoulder. Beck groaned feeling her teeth in his skin, cumming as he moaned her name. They both stayed still catching their breaths before Wendy pulled back to smile at her green haired mate. She hadn't broken the skin and marked him but the urge not to do so was too much so she ended up biting him.

"We're going to have to teach you ways to use those fags little dragoness." His words sent shivers down her spine, a promise she was looking forward to exploring. She got off his lap and sat on the edge of the bed so that he could move about. "I need to shower, then meet Zen and Presca for our sparring match. I suggest you get some more sleep and I will see you for lunch at the guild." He pressed a soft kiss to her lips and started to walk to her bathroom when she called his name. He turned around as she used her sky magic to propel her off the bed, into his arms for a toe-curling kiss.

"I just wanted to let you know that you'll be missed." She pecked his lips as his eyes lit up, a large smile on his face. "I'll see you for lunch." Wendy knew she was topless but was curious to see if he would have been ready for round two because one day she knew she'd be ready for back to back action. The sky maiden was happy to see that he was ready to go again and felt a smidge bad for tackling him like that. She crawled into bed and fell asleep to the sound of the shower running.

* * *

Lucy had slept all morning and the majority of the afternoon away, waking up shortly before 4 pm. She was surprised that no one had woken her up earlier than this but was happy have gotten some sleep. With the eve of the full moon happening tonight she wasn't quite sure what would be happening. All of Cristoff's siblings had been telling her different stories about his moon drunk escapades, some of which were quite funny and others had her feeling inadequate. Her mate pretty much needed to have his own orgy in order to sate his needs during a full moon so she was wondering if she'd be enough. Lucy had reached out to Kaleb to pose the question to him but he didn't have an answer since no one was sure what would happen. This would be his first full moon with a claimed mate but not a bonded one, so everything was up in the air. Freed was planning on recording everything for any future lunar slayers that may come into the fold.

Lucy sighed as she gazed at the ceiling of her room. What if Cristoff needed partners to make it through this full moon cycle, or others, until they were mated? Would he be harmed if he couldn't find a release? Would she alone be enough to sate his needs when they were mated? She sighed knowing that playing the 'What If" game wouldn't make her feel any better or be any more prepared. If his family didn't have any ideas as to what was going to happen then she couldn't be any more prepared, but it didn't ease her growing anxiety. Lucy hoped into the shower to get ready for what was left of the day, nervous about what the night would bring.

Lucy wondered around the mostly vacant house, curious as to why she hadn't run into anybody yet. Sure the Pradesh house was large but not large enough that she hadn't met one of its many inhabitants. Sighing in frustration she let her feet carry her to the small pond that was out back, sitting at the edge of it as she stuck a hand in the cool water to play with the fish that lived within it. Once the full moon cycle was done they'd be heading off in two groups to find the remaining keys and summon Draco, which would lead to their eventual mating. Kaleb and Lucy had been talking in detail about the mission through his mindbending link, working out the best people to put towards each team since the two last remaining keys weren't in Bosco.

"Yo Cosplayer. What's got you down in the dumps?"

"Hey Bix. Nothing really. I'm just anxious about tonight, seeing what'll happen to Cris is all."

"What about you? Aren't you even a little bit interested to see what'll happen with you?"

"I honestly haven't even given that a thought." She honestly hadn't either since she didn't think that she'd be affected since they weren't mated. "You think that something will happen with me too?"

"Tough to say," he replied as he scratched the back of his neck. "You're not mated but you know that you're each other's mates. The full moon is what pulls him in, but will he pull you in with his needs and desire - that's tough to say."

"Ugh. As if I wasn't already freaking out over this enough as it is."

"Chill Cosplayer. I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. Besides," Bickslow smiled at his blonde friend, "The full moon has been out for an hour already and you haven't noticed anything." An hour! She looked up at the sky and sure enough, the almost full moon was already in the sky. She had spent a lot of time the pond doing nothing it would seem, too lost in her own thoughts to notice how much time had passed. "Cris is locked in his room that Freed has super runed so that no one can enter and he can't escape. Granted tonight he isn't as needy as he will be tomorrow, but his lustiness is still pulling people towards the estate. All of the couples from last night will be feeling the moon's effects, especially the ones who have never been around it."

"Your dad is going to be in baby heaven," Lucy laughed followed by Bickslow. "How's Ayala handling all of this?"

"It's like she's immune to the effects. Some bullshit about how the earth sleeps at night so she doesn't feel the lustiness, but she did say that if anyone would be affected it be Juvia."

"Moon cycles control bodies of water and since her body is made of water . . ."

"Gray is a lucky fuckn' bastard." The two mages laughed in unison.

"Bix will you stay up with me? I don't want to do something stupid but I'm not tired either, which probably has something to do the fact I almost slept the entire day away."

"Sure things Cosplayer. You can tell me all about your plans for the nest that you're hiding from your kin."

* * *

The night before the full moon wasn't bad, granted it never was. Cristoff stayed in his room, did some reading, wrote some music, and just lounged around in general. He was sad that he couldn't see Lucy but knew it was for the best. They had let her sleep all day yesterday and since her scent wasn't on his person he didn't feel the need do anything. However, tonight was going to be a different story. The sun was just starting to set and he could already feel the pull of the moon, could feel the moon crazed lust starting to drown out his other senses.

When Cristoff was younger he hadn't needed to worry about the full moon, until he reached dragon puberty at 11 years old. His father figured that it has something to do with the fact that Nurem was gone when he'd normally start to show signs. His mother being a Queen had killed the need for him to mature right away, but that first summer after she had left was horrible. He'd spent an entire week confined and three of those days had been during a full moon. Cristoff had little knowledge about what his body wanted them, just a burning desire to be sated. It was after that week that Arman had put him in Sudepah classes and had someone stay with him during the full moon.

As he grew older his dragon lust grew stronger, pulling attention from others. It started with only people in the household getting extra horny and finding partners for the night. Then it grew to a city block, a district, and now he could pull the whole of Pelerno if he wasn't protected. He was stripping himself of all of his clothes as the moon had finally risen, his eyes glowing a brilliant white, his last coherent thought was that he hoped that Freed had enough wards on his room because his dragon wanted Lucy, to feel her slick folds as he slid his thick, hot cock into her. He was already looking for ways out of the room, ways to call for his mate - his dragon whining when he realized he couldn't call her through their bond mark since it wasn't there yet.

He stood on the balcony as the Grass Sea stood calmly this night, the moon's reflection bouncing in the soft waves the sea life were creating. His eyes followed the shore until he spotted glistening golden hair bathed in the moonlight. His mate was walking towards the house, her hair loosely hanging down her back, a strapless thigh length dress hugging her curvy form, shoes in her hand as she walked barefoot. Cristoff went to take a step off the balcony railing only to be tossed back inside, his dragon getting angry and breaking a chair against the wall. It had been so long since he had been denied sex during a full moon, his mate was ready and willing but he was trapped in this damn room.

"Cris, you ok?"

"Bixy! You need to let me out. My mate is walking along the beach by herself. I NEED her Bixy, only she can help me through this."

"No can do bro. You're not allowed to mate Lucy until after she calls Draco out, so you have an issue with that your better take it up with your dragon daddy."

"Biiiiiiixy. Pleeeeease, you just need to let me out for a short time. I'll be back before anyone will know."

"Fat fuckn chance Cris."

"Laxus. You'll let me see my mate right? You've already claimed Em, so you know how important Lucy is to me."

"Damn. I forgot how whiny you are during the full moon. Sorry Cris, you're stuck in that room for the night." They heard something crack then and both mages sighed, it was going to be a long fucking night. Last night Kaleb and Zen took watch and tomorrow it would be Vander and Emzadi, but the actual night of the full moon was the worst.

"Hey guys." Lucy smiled at the two men slouched against the wall.

"Blondie what are you doing here?"

"I picked these for Cristoff," Lucy held up a basket of white moonflowers. "Vander said that these would help him through tonight and last night."

"Blondie I get that but you can't be here right . . ."

"Lucy! Oh, beautiful mate of mine. Have you come to join me or perhaps you want to whisk me away from my cage?" Lucy giggled at his theatrics.

"Sorry, my loving dragon I just came with a tasty treat that your brother will give to you."

"You could come in and I could eat them off your naked body. You'd look so pretty covered in white petals, absolutely delicious."

"Fuck Cris, that's my sister you're referring too!" Bickslow just laughed at Laxus' scrunched up face but stood up straight when he saw Lucy's brown eye glaze over. He picked Lucy up, throwing her over a shoulder and ran towards her room which was on a different fucking level, thank Mavis. He stood there for a moment as Lucy's eyes refocused for a minute.

"Bix why aren't I with Cris anymore? Did he get the flowers already?" Bickslow was going to string Vander up by his ears after his shift tomorrow night. Fuckin little brother had planned this after they had found that Lucy wasn't affected by full moon eve pull. He'd just tell dad what Vander had done, yea that'd be so much better and the cocky brat would get put in his place.

"Sorry Cosplayer but you felt the pull while outside his room, so here we are."

"But Bixy I'm burning up. I need Cris." Well fuck! Was this because she was just outside of his room or was this just the regular pulls? _Kaleb we need Freed to spell Lucy's now right fucking now!_ Bickslow was pushing Lucy inside the room as she tried to get out from his grasp. _He's on his way now. Can you keep her there?_ Lucy had pulled out her whip and was trying to catch him and fling his from her exit. _Hurry the fuck up! She's got her whip out and if she manages to get me she'll be outta this room in the blink of an eye._ Bickslow dodged the end that was aimed at his left wrist this time but was thankful that he could feel Freed's power start to wash over the room. He jumped off the balcony onto his babies as Freed's spell encompassed the entirety of her space. _Freed and I will watch Lucy for the night._ Farron's voice stated through the link. _You'd better get back to Laxus and explain what happened. Tonight will be long for both parties involved._

Long indeed. The four men had to listen to the lunar and celestial mages yell, bargain, cry, and whine all bloody night long. Thankfully the sun rose at 4 am and they both retired to their beds, too exhausted to do anything more. They stayed there for another hour to ensure that everything was calm and quiet before they carried their very tired asses to their own beds to crash. Thoughts of murdering Vander was on all of their minds as they fell into an easy sleep. Kaleb had informed Arman about Vander's suggestion to Lucy and Arman pulled Vander off watch duty that night. He was strapped with magic canceling cuffs and told to clean all the toilets to Mrs. Elan's standards in the house. If he wanted to behave like a child then he'd be disciplined like one as well.

Everyone breathed easier when Lucy woke up mid-afternoon, her mind hazy from the previous night but still remembering what happened. She wasn't confined this night since they needed to know if she'd be under the influence or not so Natsu volunteered to stay up with his best friend. Xally joined them until about 10 pm when she retired for the night. Natsu and Lucy had fun talking about what kind of powers the twins would have, what they might look like, and possible names. She fell asleep on his shoulder sometime after midnight and he carried her to her bed and tucked her in. Natsu sat in a chair to watch her for several more hours, just in case. He was giddy to find out if he was going on the key hunt tomorrow, what team he'd be on, and where they were heading. Luce had kept that secret from him still but he couldn't contain his excitement at being able to meet Draco, the greatest drake known to dragon. Igneel was a top ranking drake but Draco was the King of them all.


	25. Chapter 24

Wifi has been down so I have been patiently waiting so that I could upload the next chapter or two. Praise Mavis that I am back up and running! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

Kaleb and Lucy had gathered everyone to decide what the teams would be and in what direction they were heading. One key was in Pergrande and the other was in Fiore and each team would be needing different skill sets. Lucy would be leading the Fiore team while Zen was in charge of the Pergrande mission since he could feel the keys and Lucy had her trusted dog spirits. While that was going Kaleb was going to be working on getting into the king's castle and into Kurino's room to get the dragon egg that was hidden there. Lucy and Yukino had worked out a temporary contract where she'd be able to borrow Gemini to help Kaleb out on his mission. This was a huge shit storm in the making but everyone knew that this needed to be done.

Zen was getting on a Boscan military airship with his team who were going to be heading to the quaint city of Ormill, which was located several hours south-west of the capital. Cristoff, Vander, Presca, Ayala, and Bickslow were saying their goodbyes to their teams and/or families before they were too take off. Arman and Farron were going to be calling a couple of favors for this mission to retrieve the key. They had a long flight ahead of them, most of which would be happening in stealth mode until they were able to have Cristoff moon jump them down. Once on the ground, Zen would pick up the key's presence before creating a plan of attack and heading in. The six mages hunkered down and waited with baited breath.

Lucy and her team were also heading onto a Boscan airship and heading back to Fiore, back to the Heartfilia Konzern. The last key was said to be in that location but since her family home had been bought by a greedy ass hole Lucy was going to be needing some big guns, just in case. Laxus, Gray, Wendy, and Cobra were the four that would be accompanying the celestial mage on her mission. The last key could literally be anywhere within the mansion, the servant's houses, or the grounds and was hoping that Canes Venatici would be able to sniff it out. This was also the first time she had been back to her childhood home since she had received the news of her father's death, not a trip she was really looking forward too.

Kaleb would be utilizing Yukino's powers, and a tad of Lucy's, to pull off the guise that would be needed in order to attain the egg. Sting, Natsu, Freed, Rogue, and Gajeel were the chosen team members he had spent several days going over various plans and team dynamics to come up with this one. Sting and Natsu were the ones that had given him some grief when he had chosen them, but Sting was Yukino's mate and Natsu was a powerhouse that they might need. The two remaining dragon slayers could easily use the shadows to gain the upper hand. Freed's rune work was amazing and he was needed in order to contain Princess Kurino so Kaleb could make her forget the encounter, if necessary.

Kaleb was having his father answer one of the weekly missives that came from the castle requesting the audience of a certain Pradesh. Knowing that once it was received by the Princess a reply would arrive in minutes. Tomorrow was going to be one hell of a day with his chosen team and if caught they would be in serious shit, which is why it was imperative to keep Sting and Natsu focused on their tasks at hand. His plan was solid and he would be discussing it with his team tonight because tomorrow they would be seeing Princess Kurino. His father wasn't fully onboard with Kaleb's plan but understood the importance of getting the egg from her. Farron wasn't liking the part he'd have to play either but the hope was that he wouldn't be bound, gagged, and abused at the hands of the Princess, that the team would be able to retrieve the egg before they had to leave the palace gardens.

Thanks to Ayala and Cristoff he had gotten a generalized idea as to what the egg looked like, its weight, and where in her chambers it was located. Ayala had wanted to help Kaleb out with this mission but he'd expressed how much calmer he'd feel if there was a second dragon slayer with Zen, especially one of her talents. She had relented trying to convince him otherwise after he made that point. Now all he had to do was gather the team, go over every possible scenario with them, and pray that this would go off without issue. He sat at his desk and sighed.

"What's wrong Kaleb?" Mira's quiet voice entered the room as she stepped through the door of his office. "You seem troubled. Anything that I can help with?"

"Just worried about our mission tomorrow and Zen having to go back to Pergrande." Kaleb wasn't as worried about Lucy going to the konzern since she was raised there, but the bounty on Zen's capture was huge. If anyone got wind of them or if something happened and he was back in the gladiator pits he'd never forgive himself.

"Well," Mira made her way around his desk and sat in his lap, "Maybe you just need to talk it out with another person."

"Or maybe I just need a distraction until my meeting later tonight?" He kissed her bare shoulder listening to her giggle.

"How about you tell me about your plan to keep Natsu and Sting from compromising your mission?"

"I figured if they were stationed with Gajeel and Rogue that they'd be ok, plus Yukino will be there as well."

"That won't keep them in place. You need to pose a challenge to them since they'll want to outdo one another in some form or another."

"What do you have in mind?"

"The person who can follow your leadership to a T will get the honors of a one-on-one battle with you."

"That'll work? Seems way to easy."

"Of course it'll work! Those two were constantly trying to pick fights with Laxus and Gildarts back home and now that they have a real opportunity they'll be excited about and listen, hopefully." Sting had calmed down a lot since he had mated and had the twins but was still rambunctious. Natsu wasn't as easy to rile up since he had Xally and twins in the way, however, he was still Natsu and still acted more so on instinct than the other slayers. "I think I deserve a reward for my ingenious thinking. What do you say to a trip to the Grass Sea hot springs?"

"Who's the mind reader now?"

"You tell me." She kissed him lightly on the lips before running out the door, sending him flashes of her naked form riding him on one of the springs low benches. He got up, chasing his teasing women with plans on fulfilling that scene she had shown him. Sex before a mission was one of the best ways to get in the perfect mindset, to relieve the tension he had been feeling lately. He had a gorgeous blue-eyed demon he was going to have his way with and he couldn't wait.

* * *

Zen was on pins and needles as they sat on the airship heading towards their destination. He could feel the key pulsing stronger with every minute that was passing by but couldn't shake the feeling like there was something else hidden there. His comrades hadn't said anything if they had sensed something, granted they were still a couple hours out from the small town. Ormill was a small town of five thousand people that mined semi-precious gems, one of the only places in all of Pergrande that they could be found. Script stones were plentiful in the sandy grounds where there was once water but due to shifts underground the fossils formed with the rock to give way to the extremely rare stone. Danburite was another gem that was readily found in the area along with heliodor and yellow sphalerite, all of which were used in intricate jewelry for the rich families of Pergrande. They also traded those stones with Sin, Seven, and Joya for what he didn't know, but those three countries were the only ones to do trade with Pergrande.

Cristoff and Presca were playing a heated game of chess, neither giving an inch while Vander and Bickslow were playing 'Would You Rather.' The items they were coming up with were disgusting, to say the least, but were putting smiles and laughter on most of their faces. Those two would do anything for a laugh and their attitudes were so similar to one another you'd think that they were the ones related, not Bickslow and Cristoff. It still amazed him how those two were actual clan cousins and were all being raised by his father, guess the universe works in weird ways sometimes. Ayala was standing towards the back of the airship with her arms wrapped around her side which he found odd since she was always close to her mate.

"Ayala? You alright?" Zena approached the earth dragon slayer, hoping to help her if he could.

"I don't know. I thought that my anxious feeling was over leaving the rescue of the egg to Kaleb and his team, but it just doesn't seem to go away."

"Was there something wrong with the egg? Do we need to contact Thane to bring you back to Pelerno?"

"The egg is fine it's just . . . ugh, I don't know." Zen put a hand on her shoulder and suddenly her eyes were glowing green, her powers swirling around her. His brothers and Presca were by his side in an instant, waiting to see what was going on. The smell of pine permeated the air as wisps of green light flashed across her body, almost as if they were playing tag.

"What the hell happened to my mate?"

"I have no idea. I just touched her shoulder and this happened," he gestured to her entire body as the light show and coniferous forest smell stopped. Bickslow steadied his emerald-eyed mate as her eyes refocused on him. "You alright Ayala?"

"Yea . . . that was quite the experience." She smiled and gave Bisckslow a hug, knowing that he needed to be reassured that she was alright. "Wasn't expecting Zen's attachment to the key to pull me in like it did when he touched me. The key is being hidden underground surrounded by gems, which I am assuming is in one of the mines. However, that's not exactly what caught me by surprise."

"Don't leave us in suspense like that!" whined Vander who was rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet.

"I know why I had been feeling anxious," she turned and smiled at Zen, "Guess there are some dragon eggs with Lucy's key. I can't assess them from here so I don't know the condition they're in, but nothing was immediately screaming at me, well at least not in regards to the eggs."

"Eggs? As in plural?" Cristoff asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yup! Two of them," she beamed at the lunar slayer. "I was sort of astral projected there . . . I guess that'd be the best way to describe it. There are armed guards there. This is most definitely a trap for Zen so they must have found out somehow as to what has been going on."

"I haven't killed anyone in weeks," Vander smirked as he played with a knife he'd forged out of shadow. "Presca and I can take care of them. It'll be just like the old days, just you, me, and the baddies."

"You make it sound like we're dating."

"I'm too much man for you to handle."

"You're too much of something alright, but a man isn't one of them." Bickslow snorted while Ayala hid her smiling face in his chest and Cristoff just laughed. "Why don't you go make yourself useful and scout the area for us so we know what we're up against?"

"So mean," Vander stated as he took off into his shadows.

"I'll go report this to dad while you three figure out how we're going to transport two eggs safely out of the mine." Cristoff turned his back and headed went to call Arman.

"Sure take the easiest job," snorted Bickslow as he followed Ayala and Zen to a small workspace where they could figure out how they were going to get everyone and everything out safely.

* * *

Lucy stared out the small window of the airship as they continued to fly amongst the clouds, lost in thoughts about her family estate. She hadn't been back to the estate since she had received the news of her father dying, which no one knew about except Natsu and Happy to her knowledge. It wasn't like she was going to let everyone know what happened after they had all just gotten back from their seven-year sleep on Tenrou Island. She also didn't tell anyone that the entire estate belonged to her, was her sole inheritance after her father's company was sold the business to the slimy forty-year-old man that had tried to make an arrangement for her hand in marriage. There were so many things that she didn't miss about be an heiress.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Laxus and Erik staring at her while Gray and Wendy were playing some sort of board game, one young woman was winning. Whenever Gray began to lose in a game he would slowly start to freeze things, like the legs of the chair he was on, and if he was winning he'd strip faster - both were a lose-lose situation for everyone else. She knew that Erik was either relaying what she was feeling to Laxus or they were having an intense conversation over unicorns and rainbows, to which Lucy heard a loud snort in the coffee cup that Erik was currently trying to have a drink out of. _Take that soul creeper._

"Come on Tink. You know I don't creep."

"Would you prefer stalk, slink, spy, hack . . ."

"Alright Tink, I get the fucking picture. No need to take your feelings out on me."

"I'm not. If I were I'd be yelling at you before kicking you into the closest wall." Wendy giggled which had Cobra glaring at the little bluenette, but that only made her laugh more. Laxus was standing there with a smirk that was matched by the one on Gray's face as well.

"Why don't you tell us what's really wrong Blondie."

"Don't any of you think it's too much of a coincidence that one of the last keys is sitting at the house I grew up in? Something about this just doesn't feel right."

"Like a 'you're going to be kidnapped' or 'this is a trap' or a 'we are all going to die' not kind of right?" Gray asked while moving his piece five spots along the board.

"Is it sad that that's how you're identifying these types of feeling?" Cobra asked the ice make mage. Lucy and Gray looked at one another before shrugging, because it was pretty much the gist of every feeling she had while out on a mission. Every major battle that had happened to Lucy could be summed up in one of those three categories to the point where the team would ask her if she was feeling like A, B, or C that day.

"It's just what our normal is Cobra," Wendy answered as she motioned for Gray to hand her some brightly colored money. "Plus I am sure that she's worried about the other two missions going on right now, so how about you just give Lucy some space." Wendy didn't look up at the poison slayer to know that she had hit a nerve, but the growl that was directed at her had her smiling while ignoring him.

"What the sass squirt," Laxus muttered but Wendy saw the small smile at the corners on his mouth and knew she was still safe. Lucy was watching the slayer dynamic with contained mirth as Wendy's older brothers were learning what it was like to handle a mature female slayer. She was thankful that Cristoff grew up with Emzadi, otherwise having him learn like the other male slayers were was going to be the bane of her existence.

"So what? We get the key, return to Bosco, you call out the overrated dragon, then get jiggy with your mate and we all live happily ever after?"

"Erik please tell me you didn't just use the word 'jiggy'? How old are you?"

"Fuck you Tink."

"No thanks I have Cris, but I'm sure Kinana will be waiting when you get back."

"The sass, I tell you it'll be the end of the world."

"Nah, we'll just rule it instead. Right Lucy?"

"Damn straight Wendy." The girls broke out in laughter, as one eye rolled, and the other two kept their mouths shut about the topic.


	26. Chapter 25

Internet you are wonderful when you work & I curse you when you don't! My hope is to update every couple of days and with that being said I SHOULD be done this story in 5 chapters. Hard to believe that I'll be wrapping up my first large story not too long from now, it's kind of bittersweet lol Please read and review, thanks!

* * *

How the fuck did Lucy do it? Kaleb was ready to pull out his hair and the feeling to do so hadn't happened since he was young and frustrated with his powers. He understood that Lucy was kin to all of the slayers, going to mate his brother, and was a dragon queen - what he couldn't wrap his head around was how she managed Sting and Natsu, especially the later slayer. They had almost blown their cover four fucking times and they weren't even within the castle walls yet! Freed had an intricate invisibility spell cast over everyone, except for himself and Farron, that went undetected by every magic sensor and mage. Natsu and Sting had gotten into three brawls already where Rogue and Gajeel were separating them and then Natsu wanted to burn his way out to fight the Princess! WHO DOES THAT!?

They met the guards at the gates and surrendered all weapons that they had on their persons before being scanned and directed to one of the many meeting rooms. Farron and Arman had taken some convincing on Kaleb's part in order for Farron to join this mission since they were all well aware of their Princess's . . . needs. Farron had never been subjected to sharing pleasure with Kurino but Kaleb and Cristoff had, and it was damn lucky Cristoff and Xally were amazing healers. The cuts, bruises, and burn marks were enough for Kurino to warrant a death sentence but Arman was hesitant to go against the king without sufficient evidence. Vander had tried to super sleuth his way into her bedroom but found that it was warded against his particular brand of magic, smart woman.

Kurino was waiting in the room with a smug look on her face since she had finally worn Farron down enough to want to be with her. Kaleb shuttered at the thoughts that were swirling around inside her twisted and vile mind. They were exchanging pleasantries but his brother was stiff as a board, even though his kind eyes and easy smiles tricked Kurino they couldn't fool him. He needed to secure her bedroom and get his teammates into position so this could all go down smoothly, or as smoothly as possible with the two hotheads on his team. Why did he pick them again?

"Princess Kurino, may I take quick sweep on your chambers to ensure everything is alright? I'll leave Farron in your capable hands." Kaleb hated to use his brother as bait but he needed ten minutes and this was his opening.

"Of course Kaleb. Take all the time you need and I'll keep Farron well . . . entertained." He smiled politely at Kurino while listening to his brother curse him out in four, wait five, different languages. He told his team to follow them as he walked to her bedroom, easily remembering it from a couple of his trips here. He opened the door to her closet and ushered the team in to start looking for the egg. It shouldn't take more than a half hour for the five of them to find, he hoped, and made his way back to his brother. When he arrived Kurino was sitting in Farron's lap, hand aggressively wrapped in his long hair, and looked to be eating his face. He cleared his throat to announce his arrival.

"Everything to your satisfaction?" Kurino smiled as she got off Farron's laugh.

"Everything is perfect Princess. I'd expect nothing less from your security team and the guards around the palace."

"Come Farron. We have things that we need to work out."

"May I use the restroom first Princess?"

"Of course. Kaleb will show you the way and bring you back to my room and while you're gone I'll slip into something sexier." Kurino batted her eyes and sauntered out the door as Farron glared daggers at Kaleb. Kaleb simply nodded his head and showed him to the washroom and the lead him back to her room. They walked in silence, both tense from what may or may not happen with this plan. Farron smiled at his brother before walking confidently into the room to find Kurino laying on the bed in a black lace babydoll, black thong, and matching stockings. She would be an extremely attractive woman if she didn't have such masochistic tastes, not that he didn't enjoy bondage or being whipped, but she took it to the extreme.

"Come over to me Farron," she patted the bed beside her, eagerly waiting for the man of her obsession to join her. For years Farron had been denying her, escaping her grasp with his ambassador status, but he'd finally realized everything she had to offer. Once this night was complete she'd be positioning him to become promised and then they'd be married shortly afterward, there was no way he could stay away from her now. Meanwhile, Farron prayed for Kaleb's team to hurry the hell up before she decided he needed to be tied down.

"What the fuck does this egg even look like?" grumbled Gajeel as they were rifling through the world's largest closet he'd ever seen. "Not like we were able to see Noelani before he hatched."

"Miss Lucy said that it would be the size of a football or something slightly larger. It could be any color though with any markings or jewels on it."

"Well fuck. Bunny couldn't have left us anything more detailed than that?"

"Easy iron balls. I'm sure she did the best she could, after all, she has only seen one egg."

"Which is one more egg than we have seen, mate."

"I'm sorry but there are not dragon eggs in recorded history for me to have greater detail, so we'll just have to use Miss Lucy's description."

"So you think Luce was meaning this thing?" Natsu held up a black and white marbled looking football in one hand. "I mean it smells like a dragon and I found it in all of her stupid jewelry way at the back. Think your spirits can hold it in the spirit world until we get back to the guild?" Yukino slowly nodded her head, shocked that Natsu was the one to find the egg by sniffing it out. She called Libra out and Natsu handed the spirit the egg as she poofed back. "Well, that wasn't so hard. I wonder what kind of slayer will be in that egg and how old it'll be. Looked like a tiny little thing, so maybe it'll be Noelani's age?"

"I've let Kaleb know we are done, so hopefully we're out of here soon." The words were barely out of Freed's mouth before the whole room shook slightly. "I am hoping that one of you are just pulling some kind of practical joke?" All the mages shook their heads no as another tremor rumbled about them. _Kaleb, are you feeling these tremors too?_ Freed was really hoping to get out of here soon, then he'd be taking Farron to a bathhouse to remove the memory of that vile female from his lover's body. _Yes Freed, I feel them too. I am looking into it so just hang tight._ He let Farron know what was going on before he raced out to find the closest guard.

"Excuse me, sir. Can you tell me what is happening? Ambassador Farron Pradesh is with Princess Kurino and I need to know if we need to get them to safety."

"Master Kaleb! The castle is being attacked by underground Vulcans! We had been monitoring their progress when they attacked a small town, but we seemed to have lost track of five or so of their stronger males. Do you have any other mages that can be used to defeat them with you?"

"I have some men on standby that can be here shortly. You and I need to secure the Princess and the Ambassador first."

"Right away Master Kaleb." Kaleb was relaying the news to the team before letting Farron and Kurino know what was happening and how they needed to get decent before they left. He called Thane to meet him in that gardens so that Farron could be taken to safety. The guard rushed in as Kurino was wrapping a thick robe around herself and urged her to head to the secret holding spot as Kaleb threw Farron's shirt at his chest while doing up his pants. He could see how raw his wrists were from the ropes that were used, as well as several lashes across his chest. He helped his brother out of the room as they rushed towards the gardens where Thane was waiting for them. Freed canceled the spells around the rest of the team so that they were now all visible.

"Excuse me Master, but why are there two Farrons?" Kaleb was holding up a rough looking ambassador as a well put together Farron was holding hands with Freed.

"Sorry. Gemini you can go back now and thank you for helping us with this mission." Yukino waived the key watching as Gemini Farron became the regular form of the twins and went back to the celestial world.

"Why is Luce's spirit here?"

"We needed to keep that secret between Farron, Yukino, and myself. It was Lucy's suggestion since she mentioned that you two happened to have loud mouths and not think before speaking." Kaleb motioned to Sting and Natsu as Gajeel barked out a laugh. "Thane, would you take Freed, Yukino, and Farron back, please? I'll see that the five of us handle whatever Vulcans are remaining, which should be one for each of us if what the guards are saying is true. Try not to blow the fucking castle up while defeating the enemy." The three mages followed Kaleb as Thane took his charges back to the guild, waiting to hear the story behind this mission.

"Knock them out so that the guards can relocate them."

"I'm fired up now!" Natsu took off, fists full of flame, as he punched one Vulcan through the stone wall surrounding the palace.

"NATSU! I said not to destroy palace property," Kaleb yelled as he froze the Vulcan's mind that he was after, guards rushing to restrain the beast. He heard another couple dragon roars and more stone crumbling and groaned, "Fuck my life."

* * *

Vander was having the time of his life searching the shadows for a key and two eggs as he incapacitated any Pergrandian soldiers he came across, didn't kill them but they'd be wondering what the hell had happened within the shadows. Sneaking around was the favorite part of his job especially when he was given the OK to do whatever he wanted, except kill since they didn't need any additional attention on them. This mine was heavily guarded and after knocking out three dozen guards he finally found what items he was looking for, the only issue was that the eggs would need to be carried by Zen and Cristoff - the fucking things were huge! Easily up to his waist and half his weight, what was in there - super slayers? He tossed a rock at the egg and key to see it light up in a red light, some kind of anti-theft spell if he were to guess. Hopefully, someone on their team would be able to get past the protections as Vander went back to the meeting point to report.

Zen was patiently waiting in the forest, outside the mine, that Cristoff had moon beamed them too. He just wanted to get in, get the three items, and get the fuck out as fast as humanly possible. He knew this was a trap, knew that King Karadin had set this up somehow but also knew he couldn't just stroll up to the man and relieve him of his head. No need to cause a war right now. "Presca are you getting anything?"

"Van seems to have gotten most of them, but there are more coming just not sure where.

"Underground," Ayala placed her hands on the ground letting her magic pulsate. "There is a bunker deep underground where there are others are taking a break. Sounds like they'll be looking to switch off in fifteen minutes, so that'll be our only window."

"Damn tree hugger," Vander materialized from the shadow of a large tree, "maybe we should take you on more mission and you can earth talk to me all day." Vander wiggled his eyebrows at the slayer who just rolled her eyes.

"Can't you do something about your brother?" Ayala inquired to her mate.

"If dad tried and didn't succeed what makes you think I will?" Bickslow smirked as he dodged a punch from said brother. "Getting slow Van."

"Vander," Cristoff called, "Care to take us under?"

"With pleasure. Hold onto your balls and tits because this will be bumpy with so many mages." He called forth the shadows to wrap around the six of them to take them underground to where the items were being kept. Zen shock off the feeling of his magic being sapped as he walked over to the key and picked it up off the pedestal.

"Well that was unusually easy," Presca stated as they circled around the eggs. "How do we get these out of the runes that have been placed around them? I know Cris is knowledgeable when it comes to runes, but this seems a tad more complicated than normal."

"Too bad the green lightning bug wasn't here," Vander commented as he tried to sneak in with his shadows only to have the magic reflected. "Well damn, guess they figured I'd be sent on this mission."

"Is the floor also spelled?" Ayala asked noticing that the red markings weren't on the ground.

"No, but how does that help us out?" Zen asked with a frustrated sigh. Normally he'd just punch his way through objects but that defeated the purpose of not triggering alarms.

"Easy," Ayala manipulated the earth that the eggs were perched on so that it looked like a basket before she pulled the pillars into the ground and had them open up in front of her. She used the earth to cradle the eggs as she moved them free of their confines, placing a hand on each of the eggs to feel their energies. "Twins, but I don't know what magic they use." The eggs looked like a red, white, and black granite and were warm to the touch. "How about we get these hatchlings home?"

"I don't think so missy," a crude looking man with dark hair said as he entered the cave entrance. "King Karadin knew that you'd come sooner or later for these eggs Dark Eagle. Just didn't assume you'd come so ill-prepared and with such weak backup."

"Weak? Does he not know who we are?" Vander muttered to his team. "Guess we just need to show these dozen or soon goons how 'weak' we really are." Vander created two blades from his shadows and charged forward as Zen's wings snapped open followed his brother's lead as he brought forth his sword. Bickslow and Ayala were protecting the eggs from anyone who might try to get them while Cristoff and Presca joined the fight. It didn't take long for the four heavily trained men to take down the dozen or so soldiers.

"You tell your King that if he wants me back he'd better be able willing to start a war with Bosco and its allies because he will lose," Zen said darkly as he punched the remaining soldier, knocking him out. "Cris, you want to take up topside?" The lunar slayer teleported them back to the forest and then aboard the airship that was waiting for them.

"I do love it when a plan is smooth and successful," Vander mentioned as he sat down to pour himself a drink.

"Anyone else feel like that was super easy?" Presca asked as he sat down opposite Vander. "The King wouldn't have put such weak men there if he knew we were coming, right?"

"Something definitely doesn't add up," Zen uttered as he looked at Cristoff. "We just stole two dragon eggs and a key without an actual fight. Hell, I fought gladiators a hundred worse in the pits than what those guards were."

"We'll mention it to father as I'm sure there is something larger at play here. For now, let's celebrate the fact that we had a successful mission."

"Here here!" Vander motioned his tumbler of spiced rum up in the air as everyone else cheersed with him.

* * *

Lucy stood on the steps of her childhood home staring at the large double doors that once were white with gold trim, now were faded and covered in dirt from years on negligence. She hadn't bothered to hire anyone back to look after the place once she was told of her inheritance but now with the plans to bring the nest here she supposed she'd have to get on that. They had already searched the dozen small houses that were within the estate but there was nothing there, so she called out her trusty hunting dogs who had disappeared into the house. Lucy couldn't bring herself to turn that nob knowing that all the memories of her childhood would come flooding back, most of them not so happy either.

Laxus placed a hand on her shoulder as he put his hand on the rusted handle and pushed the door open. The assets of the house had all been sold off, minus a few items Lucy decided to keep, which had given her a nice cushion in her savings account. Lucy knew that everyone was going to flip shit when she eventually told them of the fact that they would all live here, raise their kids together while still being able to take missions to survive. It wasn't going to be cheap to pay the utility bills of feed all the slayers and slayer kids but it'd be well worth it considering that she owned this place outright.

"Seriously Tink? You're moving the nest here?" Lucy cursed hoping that he had missed that tidbit. "Think again. Are you moving us all here?"

"Yea. All of you are my family now and with there being so many of us the idea of building something safe and dragon-proof was going to cost a fortune! I had this errant thought one day that Kaleb picked up on which he then ran past Arman and Farron, both agreed to the idea. The plan was to fix it up and surprise all of you with the idea, so . . . surprise?"

"Blondie this is amazing! A perfect way to keep the family together and there is more than enough space to handle the dragon."

"Especially all the mini Natsu's and Sting's that'll be running rampant," quipped Wendy with a smile on her face.

"Enough with the smart remarks squirt!"

"Tell me I am wrong Laxus," Wendy dared her older kin with a cheeky smile knowing she was right.

"I don't like this side of her," grumbled Laxus to Cobra and Gray while Lucy couldn't keep the smile off her face. She was ecstatic that Wendy was coming out of her shell more and more, showing her family that she could put them in their place if needed. Oh the fun Emzadi and her were going to have once she flourished and started talking about sex, especially with a sexy mate such as Beck.

"Come on Tink. Can't you at least leave me the illusion of her quiet, cute innocence?"

"Ignore me then." He glared at her, knowing it was damn near impossible to do so, even with the help he was starting to receive from Kaleb. "Hey boys! Did you find the key?"

"Yes Princess. It's located in the desk of your father's study but there is strange magic around it, so please be careful." They each gave her a lick before heading back. "If the four of you will please follow me. The sooner we find this key the sooner we can all get back to our families!" Lucy became a tour guide within her own home as she explained things they made her way to her dad's office. Maybe she'd be able to convince some of the old staff to return to help out with the day-to-day duties of such a large house.

"Do you feel that?" Gray asked everyone as they walked through the doorway. "That magic signature within the room feels odd."

"It's similar to Ivan's magic, but the old man has been locked up for years."

"But he wasn't when we were locked up on Tenrou. Maybe something happened between our father's at that time?" Lucy looked at the other blonde with a questioning glance, not quite sure what to make of it. "The magic isn't everywhere though, just centered around the desk. I'm going to open the drawers and see what happens. Watch my back?"

"Always," the group replied in unison. Lucy opened all the drawers slowly one by one, but there was nothing there. Lucy sighed and looked to the left where she saw a lone book on the otherwise empty shelf. She picked up the nameless book and flipped through its contents as the key slide onto the floor, the sounds of it hitting the wooden floor echoing in the quiet room. Lucy picked the key up, confused as to why an Alpha key was here but illusion magic was around the desk. There was only one lock on the desk and she was wondering if it would fit in the lock.

"Only one way to find out Tink." She placed it in the keyhole and turned it until she felt a click when she looked up her team was sitting in a pristine study and her father was standing there with Ivan.

"It's a recording," Wendy whispered as they watched the two men argue over money.

"You're on your last leg Heartfilia! Just give me the damn thing and I will pay you half of what my employer is giving me. That's five billion dollars, more than enough to pick yourself up from the whole that damn duke wants to bury you in."

"I already told you I am not parting with it. When Lucy gets back she'll be needing this for her mission," Jude glared at the man who was looking down at him from where he sat.

"I am not a man you want to toy with Jude. I will have that dragon egg one way or another! Why the magic council entrusted it to you is beyond me," Ivan said raising his hand, magic circling it.

"They have a mage gifted with premonition who has stated that my daughter will need the egg one day. Nothing you say or do to me with change my mind!" Ivan was furious as he through a spell towards Jude who was quick enough to reflect it, but in doing so it latched itself onto the desk.

"I will be back in one month to see if you've changed your mind and for the sake of your life you'd better reconsider." He stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind him.

"My dearest daughter I hope you don't think less of me for hiding the egg within the desk, knowing that Ivan would try to pull a stunt like this. My hope is that you will be able to see past the illusion, see what dwells within." The recording ended and the magic energy within the room significantly decreased, the five mages looked at one another not sure what to do next.

"Laxus you know your father. Can you see past this illusion?"

"No. I've been trying but there's nothing here squirt. I don't have any idea as to what dwells within means either. It's so damn cryptic."

"Think it could literally mean the desk? Do we need to take it apart?" Gray inquired.

"Nah that's just too easy. Is there something within the room that could be linked to the desk?"

"The room is empty Cobra," Wendy said as she gestured to the empty space, but just for good measure, she sent a gust of wind which only unsettled the dust. "See."

"Since you're sooo smart why don't you come up with something squirt."

"Well, I was thinking he was referring to a feeling or a memory. Maybe there is something about this room or your father?" Lucy looked up at the bluenette with a contemplative look. _See past the illusion to what dwells within . . ._ What if Wendy was onto something, after all, there was so much history between her and her father but in the end, she knew that he loved her. Love! What was within her was the love she felt for everyone. She placed her hands on the desk, closed her eyes, and started to think about the love she had for her parents, her guild, her spirits, and Cristoff. The desk started to disintegrate as she continued to think of all the individuals that she loved in any capacity.

Lucy opened her eyes and where the desk once sat was a gold and white marbled egg that was smooth to the touch just like Noelani's was. Lucy cradled the egg in her arms and couldn't help the smile that made it's way to her lips. This time she would be able to find the appropriate parents for the egg once she was able to help it hatch. They had two out of the five eggs, three if you counted the one Kaleb was going to retrieve, which meant they were almost done finding them all. Hopefully, Draco would be able to share some insight once she was able to call him forth.

"Well that was a success, so can we go home now?" Cobra asked getting antsy from being away from his pregnant mate for so long.

"That sounds like a great idea Erik." The left the mansion and were walking on the grounds back to the airship.

"Lucy," Wendy asked with big doe eyes, "Can I have first dibs on a house for Beck and I?"

"Fuck that shit! I am so getting dibs for."

"Not a chance Cobra."

"What makes you think so squirt?"

"As her honorary sister, and the dragon slayer that has known her the longest in this group, I get first dibs besides . . . Lucy like me best."

"Well fuck."


	27. Chapter 26

Lucy stood in the training grounds with everyone else from Fairy Tail and White Sea, all eyes on her. In front of her sat the remaining four dragon eggs and the last two Alpha Keys. It was a truly surreal experience. Farron and Freed had volunteered to watch the eggs for her while she was calling Draco and maybe, finally, be able to claim Cristoff as her mate. The thought of everything that was going to happen, what was all going to change, was extremely terrifying and exciting. One step at a time though, first figuring out how they keys fit together to call Draco and dealing with the King of Dragons and then everything would more than likely fall into place. She hoped. The blonde celestial was so incredibly happy and proud of her families for helping her with her journey so far. She couldn't wait to tell them about their new living quarters, which Laxus, Gray, Wendy, and Cobra were sworn to secrecy over.

"What now?" Natsu asked while his mate was curled up into his side.

"I don't honestly know. I knew they needed to be gathered but I'm unsure what happens next." It wasn't like Draco or Stache Face had given her any queues as to what was going to happen next.

"We've been traveling a lot lately so why don't we all head back and rest up for the night. The keys will be here in the morning and we can tackle how to summon Draco as a team," Cristoff beamed at his beautiful mate, selfishly just wanting to spend some time alone with her curled up in his arms in their bed. He was also aware that everyone else who had gone on a mission would more than likely be alright to wait a day so they could see their significant others.

"Perfect! Yuki and I have hatchlings we need to take off of Mira and Cana's hands," Sting smiled at the group before Yukino and he walked away, hand-in-hand.

"Now that Cana's free I better make sure she's missed me," Vander smiled before slinking off to the shadows in search of his firey brunette. The rest of the teams started breaking off to find their mates, or spouses, leaving Lucy with Cristoff, Farron, Freed, and Kaleb. Three of the eggs were going to stay with Farron and Freed since Lucy couldn't stand to be parted from the one she found at the konzern just yet. It held too many memories and had been hidden for so long that she just wanted to be near it, which Cristoff understood. They hadn't been able to swap stories yet but he could feel the emotional turmoil that Lucy had been going through, had seen her and Laxus exchange a couple looks. Cristoff picked up the relatively light egg and walked behind Lucy, his mind wandering to what could happen with the mating a very real idea in the next couple days. He'd been waiting for this day most of his life and now that it was here he couldn't have been more ecstatic.

Cristoff put the egg on the chair that was in their bedroom, wrapped in a blanket before proceeding to find Lucy standing on the balcony. He wrapped his arms around her, purring when Lucy rested her back against his chest and just melted into him. It was perfect. Cristoff just held Lucy in comfortable silence, waiting until she was ready to talk about their missions or anything else, as long as it was with her it wouldn't matter. He felt Lucy twist in his arms as she buried her head in his chest, could smell the salt of her tears start to flow and held her tighter.

"Cris," Lucy quietly whispered, "Can we cuddle on the bed and have a nap? I'd like to talk about our missions but need some actual sleep, please."

"Anything for you Lucy."

* * *

Natsu was sitting in the kitchen at his mate's father's house watching the head cook rush around the kitchen to prepare food. Natsu's stomach growled as his mate's laugh floated into the room, her smile had him smiling back at her. Her aquamarine eyes shone with such love it was hard to believe that it was all directed at him some days. Bickslow and Ayala followed Xally, his arm wrapped around her shoulders as he kissed her temple. Ayala was a pretty amazing slayer, one he hoped he'd be able to spar with soon, and he was happy that Bickslow was her mate. The seith mage needed someone to love his quirkiness and take some of the darkness away.

Cana walked in behind Vander, slapping his ass as he went to grab a cookie. He smirked before swooping down to thoroughly kiss the card mage and with the stunned look in her eyes he grabbed a cookie and bit into it, Xally laughed at his antics. Farron and Freed were sitting at the table idly chatting with one another, hands being held under the table. Freed was still shy about being with Farron in public, even around the family, so the hand holding was monumental for them. Zen strolled in chatting with Mira and Kaleb, who were laughing at the story she was telling about watching the Eucliffe twins. Unfortunately, they were both as crazy as their father, which meant Mira and Cana were kept on their toes.

Laxus was carrying Emzadi over his shoulder as she pounded on his back. He sat his spitfire of a mate hadn't been eating very well once he had departed, not that he was away for very long, but she had their triplets to think about. Apparently when two dragon slayers mated the chances of having triplets increased due to the instinct to procreate being intense. He sat his mate in a chair and growled at her as he pushed a plate of random foods in front of her, sitting beside her with his arm on the back of her chair to ensure she ate. Happy that her mate was home, showering her in affection the solar dragon slayer dug into her food. Natsu just chuckled even when Laxus glared at his direction. Wendy and Beck were the last ones to enter the room, the sky dragon slayer looked tiny compared to her beast mage of a mate, but somehow they complimented each other quite well.

They were three of the only unmated pairs in the Tatsu, beside Cristoff and Lucy there was also Ayala and Bickslow. Not that Bickslow wasn't trying his damnedest to persuade her otherwise but she just kept giving him knowing glances and sweet kisses. Bickslow didn't understand why but Ayala had talked to Xally who had told him what was running through her mind. She'd never had any male attention while watching the egg, had never been kissed so she was nervous about when it happened. Natsu had pointed out to Xally that they'd be driven to mate once Lucy and Cristoff did but all Xally did was shrug her shoulders with a small smile. A smile that told him that she never mentioned it to Ayala and Bickslow would be in for one hell of a surprise.

Getting used to Beck around Wendy was going to take some time, not because he didn't like the beast mage but because Wendy had only been a young child when she had joined the guild. It was hard for him, along with the other slayers, to see her so grown up and finding a mate. Lucy might have been able to roll along with it but it was taking the men a little more to get used to the idea. Granted they had their own mates, and some had kids, to keep them all occupied so Wendy wasn't in the spotlight. Natsu didn't want to see Scary Lucy anytime soon.

The room was filled with noise as Arman walked into the kitchen. His children were all happy which meant so was he, not to mention that there going to be so many grandbabies in his future. Xally's twins and Emzadi's triplets were just the start to all of it and he couldn't wait to spoil them all rotten. He sat at the table and grabbed some cheese off the tray that was going around, noticing that Cristoff and Lucy weren't present. He asked Kaleb if he had contacted his brother and was told that Lucy just needed some time. Being back at the konzern and whatever happened on their mission had taken a lot out of her, emotionally. Arman nodded his head and went to sit beside Mira. Freed and Farron were promised, Cristoff, Emazadi, and Xally all had mates, so now it was time to work on Kaleb, then Vander, and hopefully Zen would find someone as well. He knew the man still needed some time to heal and wasn't interested in settling down right now, but was glad that he could be seen being pulled into the baths and privacy booths more frequently. Soon enough all his children would be happy in love and giving him more grandchildren then he'd know what to do with, and he couldn't wait.

* * *

Lucy woke up from her hour-long nap feeling better than before she had fallen asleep, granted her bed was missing a certain lunar slayer. Lucy yawned and stretched before realizing that the shower was going and that Cristoff must have hopped in not long before she had woken up. She pulled out all the Alpha keys, laying them on the bed before her, trying to think of what was needed to get Draco's key. Did she need to merge them all into one key, was there a specific spell that needed to be said, or perhaps it had something to do with the stars and his constellation.

"Hey gorgeous. What are you thinking about?" Cristoff asked wearing a pair of black boxer briefs with the towel slung around his neck.

"Was thinking about Draco, but I am suddenly a bit more distracted." Lucy smiled as her eyes roamed Cristoff's almost naked body with her ravenous eyes. He was almost hers. She couldn't wait to ride his body to completion, to take what he had been so willingly offering for so long now, to have his head buried . . .

"Easy there Lucy," Cristoff's eyes held a faint glow as his nostrils flared, taking in the spicy scent of her arousal. Lucy could feel a blush on her cheeks but refused to hide her attraction to the lunar dragon slayer. Instead, she got off the bed and approached the dark-haired man, staring into his eyes the entire time and pulled him into a soft, breathless kiss. She gently pushed him away from her before she closed the bathroom door in his face, giggling when she heard the thump of his head against the door. Lucy decided to freshen herself up a bit, calling Cancer and Virgo to help with make-up, hair, and clothing but nothing extravagant since she didn't need to send Cristoff into a lustful dragon . . . not yet at least.

Cristoff was putting on some loose lounge-wear for the talk that he was hoping Lucy would be wanting to have now, plus he wanted to stuff his face full of Mr. Elan's full course meal that he was in the process of making. While his siblings were snacking, laughing, and doing who knows what else he had gotten some serious cuddles with Lucy, something he doubted he could like without anymore. The blonde came out of the bathroom with her hair in a high ponytail, minimal makeup that highlighted her natural features, and a short simple hunter green halter dress that flowed down to her knees. "Care to tell me how your trip was?"

"Only if you go first." Smiling at him as she sat down on the armrest of the chair, stroking the egg as she listened to his story. The battle hadn't sounded that difficult, the Pergrandian warriors sounded like simpletons, and there were no Beserkers or their handlers. The more she listened the deeper the frown lines became because he was right in the regard that it was too easy. She told Cristoff that she suspected that King Karadin had spies or something there to assess the group of mages that came into his mind, would want to know who he was all up against. Why so had no idea but it was unsettling, to say the least.

Lucy launched into her story about what had happened on her trip to the konzern, not leaving any details about Wendy's newfound sass that had Laxus and Cobra groaning. The recording of her father's interaction with Laxus' dad which was taken sometime while she was sleeping on the island. The riddles and clues that he left her to find the egg that had been unknowingly protected by the man who wanted to buy it from her father. That was the last time she would see her father, in any form, for a very long time and how it was slowly eating at her. He hadn't been the best of father's, far from it, but in the end, he had a least tried to make amends, then she had to go get herself stuck on Tenrou Island for seven years only to find out that her father had passed away a couple months before she was free. Life wasn't fair, she was well aware of this, but didn't make it any less shitty in her mind.

Cristoff was proud of Lucy for being able to talk about it without crying, only tears gathering in her eyes. He grasped both of her dainty hands within his own and kissed the knuckles on both hands before he stood to press his lips to her forehead. He knew she didn't need words to tell her how he felt about her personal growth, that this was more than enough proof. She gently tugged on his hand as they both walked out of the bedroom towards the kitchen where Cristoff could hear the noise their large family was currently making. Lucy opened the door but stopped in her tracks at the scene she met, Cristoff bumping into her back at her sudden halt.

Laxus was trying to console an extremely upset Emzadi while Xally was yelling at Vander who was trapped in some sort of water bubble. Natsu was cackling on the floor while Cana was rolling her eyes, reaching for another drink while Ayala had Bickslow, Beck, and Kaleb tied up in vines with a half-demon Mira yelling at her partner. Food was someone being suspended in the air, which she suspected had something to do with Wendy and Arman's clean, crisp clothes were covered in wine and a food sauce of some kind. She heard a click from behind her to see that Cristoff had a camera out and was capturing this crazy family moment, more than likely to use as blackmail at some point in time. He requipped it before ushering her a little further into the room.

"So what caused this war zone?" Cristoff asked with a laugh looking at everyone's faces.

"Vander tried to steal the food that Laxus had given her," Farron said smiling as he looked at his still tied up siblings. "Needless to say he learned that stealing food from a pregnant woman, that is also a dragon slayer isn't a good idea because Em went into hysterics which caused Xally to defend her sister and trapped Vander. However, these other three also thought it'd be funny to poke fun at a rather sensitive issue." Lucy tilted her head in confusion until Kaleb's voice rang clear, _We may have mentioned how much weight she was gaining in some rather obtuse way._ Lucy gasped as Cristoff shook his head at their utter stupidity, not quite believing that they'd have the balls to say that to Emzadi with Laxus in the room.

"Oh Emzadi," Lucy raced to the other blonde woman, gently pushing Laxus off to the side. "Ignore the morons! They wouldn't know true beauty if they were shocked by it. You look amazing, both you and Xally do! Laxus love you no matter what you look like, besides you glow with material pride at carrying those triplet nieces and nephews of mine."

"Oh Lucy!" Emzadi had thrown herself into her arms, giving into the warmth and love that was celestial blonde.

"You will apologize with sincerity to Emzadi, Xally, and Arman. We are going to adjourn to the dining room while the three of you clean up the mess," Lucy glared at the mages who all shivered at its intenseness. "To make sure you do an amazing job and don't try to skip out Virgo here will be handling this punishment." The pink-haired maid appeared with a small malicious smile on her face. "No REAL damage please Virgo, but they must understand that it's not nice to tease pregnant women, EVER!"

"Of course Princess. Would you all please follow Princess out while I make sure that this room sparkles in cleanliness."

"Cosplayer please noooooo! I will do anything but don't leave us here with kinky pinky. Please!" The seith mages pleas fell on deaf ears as everyone else went to the new room. As they were sitting down at the table Lucy felt a tug on her power which was odd since none of her spirits were calling out to her. Zen placed a hand on her shoulder feeling a smaller tug on his magic since they were similar. Lucy and Zen ran towards Farron's room as the magic increased and the pull became stronger, Lucy knew that everyone else was following the two of them but she refused to wait. Zen flung to the door open and saw the three eggs glowing slightly.

"They want to hatch," Lucy whispered as she walked into the middle of the triangle of eggs, looking Cristoff with wide eyes. With Noelani, she had accidentally hatched him when she was saving everyone and now the eggs were pulling her magic, wanting to join the world. Lucy closed her eyes and let the eggs take what they needed from her, thankful that it didn't hurt this time around. What Lucy didn't realize was that the Alpha keys were also flying around her head, gathering power from her as well. Bickslow's eyes were glowing as he watched Lucy to make sure that her magic levels didn't drop dangerously low, kitchen duties temporarily suspended. Loke appeared and opened the door to Farron's balcony.

"We need to follow Lucy to the clearing by the base of the mountains. Draco is calling her there since he has decided now was the perfect time to grace us with his presence," Leo all but rolled his eyes at the dragon's antics. "She will be perfectly fine but it'll call all the dragon slayers and their mates to that location, so I suggest the rest of Pradesh family and their partners head there right away." Lucy was hovering above the ground when she flashed gold and was gone, quickly followed by Leo and Virgo. The rest of the mentioned mages scrambled to get shit together and head to the mountain location, calling a real dragon was going to take a tonne of magic from Lucy. Plus if he was larger than Nurem then the place would be able to house such a large beast.

Laxus scooped up Emzadi and headed to the guild to grab the slayer and mates from there and meet everyone at the designated spot. Vander, Cristoff, and Emzadi were organizing everyone for their transportation to the base while Arman let some guards know the situation and Kaleb was informing Thane. Within minutes they were all leaving the estate with multiple different emotions. Lots of excitement mixed with some worry for the eggs and celestial mage were the main ones, Cobra was holding his head from the intenseness of it all but Kaleb was there to create a barricade within his mind. Cobra couldn't wait until he was able to do that on his own, hopefully real fucking soon too.

They landed to the sight of the three small slayers sitting in pink wool bassinets that Aries was weaving, their shells being picked up by Virgo and Taurus to be taken to the celestial realm. Leo was standing beside a still golden glowing Lucy who had her back turned to them, whispering words of encouragement into her ear only to be heard by the dragon slayers, sound mages, and Kaleb. Lucy groaned, wavered for a second, before righting herself. She turned to face the masses a tired smile on her face and she barely heard Bickslow state that she was still okay. Within her hands was a glowing white orb that was blinding to anyone who dared to look directly at it.

Lucy pushed all of her golden magic into the white key with the navy blue symbol for Draco's constellation on the handle. Leo had told her previously that it would take massive amounts of energy to call the spirit, but once he was out he would stay on his own magic. She wasn't quite expecting the energy drain, however, there were also three new dragon slayers that hatched as well. It was now or never! "Open Gate of the Mighty Dragon King, DRACO!" A large golden magic circle appeared in the sky, as the king of the dragons descended from the heavens. It reminded everyone of Igneel, or Nurem in other cases, except his scales, were a sparkling solid gold with a white underbelly. His eyes were a piercing midnight blue, which were settled on Lucy's form standing before it.

"Congratulations Lucy. You are the only celestial mage in existence to gather the keys and summon me." His deep voice washed over the awed crowd.

"Would you like to create a contract with me Draco?" Lucy was leaning on Leo now for support.

"I would love nothing more, daughter, of mine. I will be contracted to you and any female celestial spirit mages that are born from a union of you mating Nurem's son. You have made a fine Queen Lucy and your Tatsu is quite large, growing even more so by the looks of it." He was eyeing several slayer children that were in their parent's arms, plus the scent of several pregnant females in the area. "Tomorrow you will return to this spot and the challenge for the right to mate Lucy will be witnessed by all slayers and their mates, along with myself. I will come out on my own power to ensure that no harm comes to those present. For now, there are hatchlings that need to be homed Lucy, and I believe you already know of their needs?"

"Yes Draco," Lucy tiredly stated.

"Then I shall see most of you tomorrow night. Rest up, because you will all need it." In a shower of golden sparks, Draco was gone leaving a gaping crowd of mages in his wake.

"A little help please?" Leo called over his shoulder, which shook Cristoff out of his stupor and rushed to pick Lucy up. "He sure likes to make a spectacle of himself, the overgrown lizard."

"Not now Loke," Lucy half glared at her lion spirit. "You'll have the rest of your lives to argue but for now can you just be happy at my accomplishment?"

"Of course Princess! Aries and Virgo are still with the hatchlings, so you'll need to inform those new parents . . ." Leo poofed back to the celestial realm with a smirk on his face, boy were several mages in for one hell of a shock.

"Lucy?" Cristoff looked down at her with curious eyes.

"Can you sit down in the triangle of hatchlings, please? They still need to feel me close by until they've bonded with their new parents if they accept the position that is." Cristoff did as she asked and let her use his chest as a means to support herself. "The twin dragon slayer that hatched are both boys with very similar magic signatures. Alto and Dorian."

"Lucy those are both referring to music," Kaleb spoke out as he understood their meanings.

"Alto is a music dragon slayer and Dorian is a sound dragon slayer, which means," Lucy looked to her green-haired guildmate and his promised with a smile on her lips. "These twins would like to claim you and Farron as their parents. They are a month older than Noelani was, but will still need around the clock care for a while." Freed looked to Lucy, then to Farron's smiling face, and back to Lucy.

"Well Ambassador Pradesh," Freed said with a voice full of emotion, "How long will it take you to marry Farron and I so that we can adopt Alto and Dorian?" Cheers were heard all throughout the area as Arman embraced his son and son-in-law with tears in his eyes. Once it was quiet again Lucy looked at the remaining hatchling with a smile on her face, once that Kaleb's eyes going wide.

"I would like to introduce you to a very rare kind of dragon slayer. Keira is a telekinetic dragon slayer and has chosen Kaleb and Mira to be her parents." Mira looked at Kaleb who was still reeling with shock at what Lucy had told him twice now. Mira looked at the tiny dragon slayers tiny tuff of white hair and was instantly in love, but she needed to Kaleb on board. She pulled the frozen man from his spot so that he could look upon her face as well, the minute she yawned he caved feeling all gooey on the inside.

"How long will it take to drawn up a second set of papers dad?" Mira squealed as another round of cheers erupted from everyone present.

"I had Virgo bring all the essentials to your rooms already so you won't need to worry about that," Lucy tried to say as loud as she could but her tiredness was slowly winning over. She knew that the guild would party tonight and all she'd be able to do was sleep. "Sorry Cristoff. I tried to stay awake."

"No worries my love. You have done something truly amazing tonight, so rest up because tomorrow night I make you mine. Forever!" Lucy kissed the underside of his jaw as he hugged her tighter.

"By the way," Lucy needed to make sure that she was heard for this part. "Virgo is still waiting for those of you who thought it was funny to mess with pregnant women, so no partying until she's done with you. I wouldn't try to get out of it either because she will have something much, much worse planned."

"FUUUUCK!"


	28. Chapter 27

I struggled writing the battle scene for this one, hence why it took me so long to update. Hopefully, all you readers think it's not too badly written lol

* * *

Lucy was walking down to an open area where she could summon Draco again after his insistence that he needed to talk to her which was a good thing. She needed time to clear her head over everything that had happened the previous night. Between summoning Draco and hatching three dragon slayers had taken a huge toll on her magic and she was still reeling from the effects of it all. Then add to the fact that she was going to have to fight Cristoff to in order to mate him, finally. That scared her the most. Her only saving grace was that he hadn't seen her in too many battles so he didn't know what to expect, but she knew that he'd probably be told which spirits she had. Granted she had a few new ones in her arsenal that no-one had seen while she had been at White Sea, but hopefully, Draco would have something she could use to her advantage.

She knew that she'd never been able to defeat him in hand to hand combat so she would have to use strategy against the lunar dragon slayer. Which was also proving troublesome in her mind since he was such a high ranking mage in his guild, had dragon instincts and powers, and the thought of him using dragon force on her made her shiver. Lucy knew she had to fight him but she was unsure of the terms of defeat and the thought of having to mate in front of everyone still made her cheeks flush. Hopefully, they wouldn't be too spent from mating to enjoy each other's bodies fully because she was a ball of pent of sexual frustration since the whole no mating until Draco was summoned bull shit.

Lucy continued to walk further into the dense forest until she came to a large clearing with a small natural pond that had beautiful bright water lilies floating on the surface. The sun was warm on her skin as she took in a deep breath of pine and grass, sitting in a meditative position she gathered her power about her and pushed it into Draco's key. The drain was immediate but nowhere near as taxing as it was last night. Lucy took several deep breaths before opening her eyes to meet the human form of Draco. When he told her he wanted an open space she assumed it was because he wanted to be out and about as a dragon.

"Good morning Princess Lucy. How are you feeling today?"

"Tired, nervous, anxious, excited." Draco laughed at the blonde as he sat in front of her. "I have absolutely no idea what the hell I'm supposed to be doing here."

"You have been doing an amazing job just by following your own heart dear girl. Your Tatsu is strong and full of life and love, you have managed to find all my keys and summon me, plus you have hatched four of the five dragon eggs, and you will be mating the strongest dragon slayer in all of Ishgar. The hardest part for you will be dominating your slayer."

"Dominating! You have got to be kidding me?! I'll have a hard enough time just keeping up to him let alone dominating Cristoff." Lucy couldn't believe what her spirit was telling her. She could feel herself start to hyperventilate. The world suddenly started to feel smaller, closing in on all sides while she struggled to breathe.

"Easy Lucy," Draco's calm voice started to cut through her own internal panic. "That is why I am here, to talk about some additional gifts you'll be getting from me."

"Gifts?" Lucy managed to squeak out.

"You may not be a dragon slayer but you have the heart and drive one. The only mage in existence to summon me, so believe me when I say there are some perks to being able to do so."

"Ok," Lucy took several deep breaths and calmed herself enough to function. "I have one question first." Draco raised an eyebrow so Lucy continued on with her question, "You are the King of all Dragons and Nurem is the Queen, so does that mean she had to dominate you as well?"

"Yes. It was not a pretty battle either since we are both strong in our own rights, but in the end, she managed to land the final strike that rendered me useless. Female dragons are everything in our nest and Tatsu's so we take care of their every need, especially when the eggs have been laid. There have always been less female than males in dragon society, but a Queen ensures stability. Once Nurem and I were mated we secluded ourselves for a couple weeks, but unfortunately, we were unable to have any hatchlings of our own due to the arrival of Achnologia. Now that he has been rid of this world I plan to start that process with Nurem, once I have found her."

"What is Cristoff dominates me?"

"You would be nothing more than whatever that dragon deems you as. There was only one case I can remember and the dragoness was used by other dragons who needed to have relief. Most dragons wouldn't let a female become that but there are dark dragons in the world just like there are dark humans. She ended up dying from the abuse of her mate's demands." Lucy looked up at him with wide eyes and a trembling lip. "That isn't the case here though Lucy. Cristoff would still be your mate but your status of the Dragon Queen would be stripped from you and you may be turned away from the nest."

"Ugh. Why does my life have to be so damn complicated." Draco laughed at the blonde and Lucy managed a small smile. She was left behind after Tartaros and refused to be the weak one this time around. Draco smirked at the fire that was seen in Lucy's eyes and knew that she was ready to put everything she had into this battle.

"Why don't we talk about those perks I mentioned earlier." The celestial mage and her spirit spent the rest of the afternoon chatting about what she'd be able to do and possible strategies to take down her mate. The mating itself wasn't anything glorious either and the thought of having to bite Cristoff and have him bite her didn't sit well, but Draco assured her that instinct would kick in there. Lucy sighed, her life really was complicated at the best of times.

* * *

Cristoff was standing in the same mountain range field as when Lucy had summoned Draco since it was the designated area for their fight. Freed had spent the entire day casting rune after rune to ensure that no one could enter that wasn't supposed to be summoned during the call and that they would all be protected from outsiders. Cristoff was glad that only the slayers and their mates would head the call to watch his battle with Lucy. He knew that Lucy needed to dominate him, show her Tatsu that she could handle him, and a large part of him wanted to go belly up and allow her to ride him into oblivion. However, the need to prove himself in battle and show Lucy he was the best choice was taking control of him. His mind was conflicted as was his heart.

He could smell Lucy on the other side of the trees but she had yet to step out onto the field. Cristoff felt the pull of their fight, could feel her calling out to the slayers, and knew that she was waiting for everyone else to arrive before stepping out. Kaleb had helped him understand her ten zodiac keys plus the couple of silver keys she had, but they were non-fighting keys. He knew that none of the Fairy Tail mages would help him and he couldn't blame them since they loved her so much, but he knew Kaleb would keep a level head while talking about her strengths and weaknesses. Kaleb had laughed at the end and told him that he hoped that this was one battle he would lose. Deep down inside Cristoff hoped that too.

Laxus and Emzadi were the first pairs to show up and take a seat on the out ring of the protection barrier Freed had set up. There were several pregnant slayers that would be here to observe and he didn't need them to be injured. Natsu, Xally, Gray, and Juvia were next to arrive with the two men bickering over who was going to have the more powerful children. Cristoff shook his head, did those two ever stop arguing? Sting, Yukino, Rogue, Cobra, and Kinana arrived followed closely by Gajeel, Levy, and Beck. Which had him wondering where Wendy was at before he heard Levy mentioned that she was having issues with Carla staying behind. Gajeel had rolled his eyes and wished Beck good luck while dealing with the constant cock block that was Wendy's Exceed. A swirl of golden stars had everyone's attention turning to the center of the field where the human form of Draco materialized.

"Good evening everyone. Welcome to the mating match of the lunar dragon slayer, Cristoff Pradesh, and the celestial mage, Lucy Heartfilia," Draco's commanding voice flowed throughout everyone that was gathered there. "You are all here to be witnesses to one of the first Drake and Queen challenges in over four hundred years, with the lightning dragon slayer acting as the declarer of the battle. This will not be an easy battle for the two who are competing or the mages who are watching, but know that each party has agreed to this match. I will be watching this match from the sidelines as well. Cristoff step into the moonlight." Cristoff stepped into the glow of the waning moonlight, drawing in power from the moon rays upon his skin. Cristoff requipped into his Immaculate Knight outfit for this battle, knowing it would give him the best chance against his mate. "Lucy please step onto the field." Cristoff felt himself groan as she walked into the moonlight. She was dressed in tight black leather one piece that was lined with golden thread and the constellations adorned her outfit. Her hair was in a high ponytail with minimal make-up and her chocolate eyes showed determined hesitation within their depths. "You are both aware of what is at stake here. Once I am out of the arena you may commence the challenge."

The moment Draco was safely within the protective barrier Cristoff launched himself at Lucy, who stood there watching him come for was pulled underground as Cristoff tried to land a punch on her, wheeling around to focus on the ground around him. The earth started to shake as Virgo popped up behind him hitting him with her chains but not locking them onto his wrists. His fists glowed with white light as he went to attack the maid spirit only to be hit from behind by Taurus. He flipped mid-air and landed on his feet, continuing to slide back as his feet dug into the earth from the force of Taurus' hit. His hands glowed again as he started firing white moon rays at his opponents, smirking when he saw his opening to take Virgo out. Cristoff threw his arm out at the pink haired spirit but was caught off guard when Lucy's whip wrapped itself around his wrist, pulling his off-kilter and missing his target.

Lucy stood off to the side and waited for her opening, knowing that she had to play this smart and stick to the plan that she had concocted with Draco, with a few last minute changes on her part. Cristoff unleased a roar and she was flying through the air, back colliding with the rough bark of a tree. She fell into a heap on one of the trees large roots, blinking to get her vision to stop being blurry. Lucy heard Cristoff launch another roar in her direction but Virgo had her covered, pulling her underground and sending Taurus back. Lucy nodded to Virgo setting phase one of her plan into action, returning to the surface and calling out Capricorn and adorning his star dress. Hand-to-hand combat was the sea goat's cup of tea and just the distraction that she needed to keep her mate occupied.

Capricorn launched himself at the lunar slayer with a fury of punches, none landed on Cristoff but he was kept on the defensive. Cristoff realized too late that the spirit had backpedaled him to where Lucy was, receiving a Lucy Kick to the back that had him snapping several large trees before landing on the lush grass. Groaning he stood and rolled his shoulders and moon jumped himself to Lucy and caught her in the side with a well-placed punch before Capricorn intervened.

Lucy swore to herself, knowing that she was going to be bruised for days after this fight. Lucy called Taurus back to help Capricorn against Cristoff as she started her spell. It might be considered playing dirty but she needed the upper hand. She was going to use her mate's greatest source of power against him, just this once. She glowed a light yellow color as she started to short incantation. It would only last as long as she was conscious, but hopefully, it would give her enough time.

"Reverse Moon Drip!" Lucy yelled throwing her arms up into the sky. Draco was the one who told her about the spell, but she did have first-hand knowledge of the Moon Drip spell itself. The belianese spell requires the light of the moon to react by gathering the Moon's Magic Power in one place. It had been used by Lyon to melt the ice around Deliora when she was first with Fairy Tail, and the reverse spell cut off the moonlight completely.

"Well fuck," Gray murmured as he looked to Natsu knowing that he'd remember that day quite well. "Looks like her day spent with Draco was well worth it."

"Go get 'em Luce!"

Cristoff could feel himself lose the immediate power from the moon but had more than enough on reserve to not be super worried. Lucy was the only one on the field now so he took the opportunity to attack her person. His mate wasn't physically strong so if he could wear her down or knock her out then the match would be over. He began a series of punches and kicks, surprised when she was able to dodge all of them.

"Come on Cris," he heard the taunting pitch in her voice, "I have been on Team Natsu for years and have been accustomed to flames, ice, swords, and debris flying at me since I became a guild member. You'll need to be faster than that." His dragon roared at the insult and he felt his pride take a hit, so he picked up the pace. He landed several strong hits to the blonde who managed to stay on her feet, surprising him. She was pulled underground for a brief moment only to reappear several feet away from him in a green outfit with a bow and arrow. He cursed realizing that she put distance between them so that she use some long distance techniques.

Lucy started firing arrows at Cristoff, determined to win and keep her family together, to prove that she was worthy of being a Queen. Cristoff might be able to keep a level head but the dragon soul inside of him wouldn't take kindly to her words, another insight from Draco. Dragon's may be able to keep their heads in every other fight, but easily lost control when they were fighting for their mates. She heard Cristoff roar as she rolled to the side to miss the cool heat of his moon powers, leaving a strong mint smell in the air.

"You can't keep dodging me forever Lucy." He was right of course but she wasn't about to confirm what he said.

"Why not? It seems to be an effective way to get a hit in," She smiled launching another bought of arrows at him while Sagittarius stood in a tree and fired from behind him. One embedded itself in his shoulder and another in his calf. She charged at him this time, slipping into her Leo star dress to have her Regulus Impact blast Cristoff in the chest and sending him flying into the forest. Lucy was breathing heavily now, knowing that she was running out of time and magic. Phase two had been to rile the dragon within her mate up, and judging by the growl that was sending shivers across her skin she had accomplished that. "I thought this would be at least a little challenging Cristoff."

"It's best not to piss off a dragon, little mate." Cristoff eyes were glowing pure white as he emerged from the treeline. He transported himself behind her, and while she blocked his punch she wasn't able to miss the sift kick to her middle. He watched her roll to the side as he jumped into the air, fist glowing and slamming into the ground. The aftershock from the explosion that happened was enough to push the slayers and mates back several feet, while they all waited with baited breath. Cristoff stood alone in a giant crater, growling when he realized that Lucy had escaped somehow. He whirled around when he smelled the sweet scent of strawberries and vanilla to see Lucy standing beside Rogue.

Lucy smiled while her chest was heaving from how exhausted she was becoming. She had Gemini copy all the slayers earlier in the day, knowing she'd need to use a couple of their powers at some point. With no moonlight, it was easy to have Gemini Rogue pull her into the shadows right before Cristoff's hit landed. She didn't have enough power to call out the twin slayers, because she still needed to execute the remainder of her plan.

"Dragon Slayer Secret Art, Yuhe's Exploding Edge!" A brilliant white light circled around a pale yellow forming wings above Cristoff's head before feathers started exploding from the wings. Several quills sliced through Lucy's arms and legs as she cried out in pain from the attack, sending Gemini Rogue back before her spirit was hit. She pulled herself underground while white and yellow feathers rained down on her, she could feel blood dripping down her arms and legs. She was pissed!

Cristoff smiled, knowing that he had caused Lucy serious damage and would be easy to take down. He didn't like that he had caused her pain and that he could smell blood from the wounds, but his dragon refused to bow down to her. He felt the earth rumble as he was shot up into the air, sandblasting him further off the ground than he would have liked. He glared at Scorpio as he continued his sand attack, pushing him farther away from Lucy.

"Dragon Queen Star dress!" Lucy yelled. Every single person's eyes went wide as they watched her take on Draco's star dress form. Half of Lucy's long locks were pulled into a bun at the back of her head with a gold star with black trim nestled into its side, while the rest of her wavy hair hung loosely against her back. A star chain adorned her neck and spidered down her chest to connect to a gold and black yin/yang bikini that pushed her ample breasts up. Gold metal sat on her wrists and ended at her elbow, covered with the Alpha key's constellations. Matching black mini skirt scarcely covered her ass but a black sheer overlay, with sparkling gold stars, extended from the top of her skirt resting at her knees with black Grecian sandals finishing the look. Draco's golden symbol glowed on her left hip as his power settled over the battle grounds.

Cristoff and his dragon purred in delight at seeing their mate dressed as the Queen. Every inch of her looked delectable and it took all his effort to not show how much this star dress was affecting him. His dragon really wasn't helping the situation either, flashing images of their mating through his mind.

"You WILL bow to your Queen, lunar dragon slayer. Submit to me," Lucy's confident and a firm voice floated across the forested area, eyes flashing gold briefly.

"No! You will be beneath me by the end of this!" Cristoff's eyes were still glowing white but his voice had taken on a deeper edge, his dragon surfacing.

"Have it your way," Lucy's steely gaze rested the lunar slayer. "Open gate of the heavenly scales, Libra! Turn his world upside down Libra!" The dark-haired spirit nodded her head and changed the gravity immediately around the lunar slayer so that he was slammed into the ground, landing on his back. "Open gate of the paired fish, Pisces! I need your spears cemented into the ground. Keep up the great work Libra."

"Yukino?" Sting looked over at his mate with questioning eyes.

"Lucy and I made a temporary contract for the purpose of this fight, with Pisces and Libra's consent. We all knew how important this was for Lucy, the Tatsu, and our children. The Spirit King also agreed with our decision, not that he could say no to Lucy." Yukino giggled at the stunned look on everyone's faces.

"Virgo, I need him chained to spears. Capricorn, Scorpio, Taurus, and Leo I need you to keep him pinned within Libra's gravity magic. Gemini, stick to the plan we talked about earlier. Aries a privacy wall, please. Sagittarius, Cancer, and Aquarius stand guard in case he tries to escape, I need him to stay put."

"All twelve . . . she has all twelve out right now," Laxus was fucking impressed. It took huge amounts of magic to fuel three gates let alone twelve. He knew that Draco was supplying her with additional power while in her dragon queen star dress, but still. It was unheard of.

Lucy sat on Cristoff's thighs smiling down at his glowing eyes. "Submit to me my mate. Let me make you mine, forever." Lucy kissed his cheek, waiting for him to answer.

"I . . . I submit to you Queen Lucy." Cristoff turned his head to the left, exposing his throat to the celestial mage. He felt her sink her fangs into the base of his neck and shoulder, he warm magic flowing throughout his body. Groaning as he felt her petite hands swiftly undo his pants, fangs still planted in his neck. He was throbbing, waiting for her to impale her wet pussy on his hard cock. He didn't have to wait long as her heat encompassed him, moans escaping both their lips. Lucy started to ride her slayer with the knowledge that this would be quick at to the point, they could enjoy each other fully when they were rested. "Please Lu … cy."

"Not yet," she snapped at him, enjoying how it felt to finally have him inside of her. Slowly her spirits were returning to the celestial realm, leaving only Gemini Cristoff who was healing the worst of their injuries while they mated. "Make me yours Cris. Sink your fangs into me and make me cum." Cristoff did just that, sinking his fangs into her tender flesh and growling as Lucy's heat clamped around his cock. He constricting walls pushed him over the edge as he filled her with his seed. Heavy breathing was all that could be heard from the two new mates, both feeling complete.

Cristoff knew that the wool wall had fallen when Lucy's power dipped, the slayers and their mates watching them both finish. Not that they really saw anything since most of them were heavily making out with their mates. He laughed as Draco pulled Laxus off Emzadi to play his part in all of this.

"I, Laxus Dreyar, hereby confirm that Lucy Heartfilia has dominated Cristoff Pradesh effectively claiming him as her mate." Magic poured throughout the area once their mating was acknowledged, hitting Laxus hard with the need to fuck his mate. She was already pregnant so he didn't have to worry about immediate dragon heat, but damn did he want all their clothes to suddenly vanish. "I suggest everyone finds their way home and fast."

"No worries," Draco smirked at the blonde man, "I will send you all home with my powers. Lucy," the celestial mage looked at Draco's hardened gaze, "we need to talk the moment the suns comes up." The tired woman weakly nodded her head before he zapped them all back to White Sea or the Pradesh estate.

"Sleep?" Lucy asked with one eye open and one closed.

"Best idea ever," Cristoff yawned before pulling Lucy close, both mates falling asleep immediately.


	29. Chapter 28

Lucy grumbled as she rolled away from the heat that Cristoff was emitting, putting a hand on her keys and thanking Horologium for waking her up so that she could talk to Draco. She slid off the bed and tip-toed to the shower to begin undressing, gasping silently as she looked at the bruises that were still littering her body. Wendy did say she only healed the major injuries that they had sustained so shrugging her shoulders she hopped beneath the warm waters. Happiness bubbled within her at the thought of finally being with her mate, summoning Draco, and taking a very real step towards being an actual dragon queen. Lucy spun around when she heard the curtain being pulled to the side.

"What has you in such a cheerful mood this early?" Cristoff's sleepy voice asked as he stepped into the shower. Lucy's mind shut down as she stared at the gloriously naked man before her, tongue darting out to wet her lips, mouth going dry. She knew he was a gorgeous specimen of a male but damn did she win the lottery with Cristoff. "I was just realizing how great life is right now. Finding the keys to be able to call Draco to this plain, safely retrieving all the dragon eggs, and finally claiming you as mine forever."

Cristoff purred in content as he pulled a very wet and naked Lucy to his chest. "I couldn't be happier with how things have turned out. A little rocky in the beginning but we finished strong."

"Finishing strong hmmm. Is that something you'd like to do again?" Lucy reached between their bodies to stroke her mate's obvious arousal, kissing his chest. Cristoff swept his tongue across Lucy's mating mark, smirking when her entire being shivered. The longer it took for his tongue to cross the mark the tighter her hand gripped his throbbing erection while she was pumping him, moaning as he began to kiss his way up her neck. He reached down to grab her ass hoisting her up so that her back was against the cool tile of the bathroom, pressing himself into her heat. "Cris please, I need you right now." Not one to deny his mate he slowly sheathed himself in her hot, tight pussy both moaning at the sensation.

Lucy grasped her mate's shoulders as he started to thrust in and out of her heat, a delicious coiling sensation started to build within her. This was so much better than the intense 'mate me now' feeling that she experienced last night. The slow build up, the torturous nips and kisses, and teasing touches were what she lived for. "You feel . . . oh . . . so . . . mhmm . . . good," Lucy moaned by Cristoff's ear before she licked the outer ridge and bucked her hips hard with his thrusts.

"Fuck Lucy," Cristoff breathed hard, "do that again." Lucy kissed Cristoff hard on the lips, biting his lower lips before matching his thrust again. Cristoff was in heaven, fucking his petite mate in the shower and actually being able to hold her in his arms, something that he wasn't able to do last night. It was all about setting the marks and having her dominate him which he was looking forward to her doing again in a much more relaxed setting.

"So close," Lucy whimpered feeling herself close to the edge as Cristoff pistoned within her. He bit down on her mating mark without breaking the skin, the rush of primal need coursed through it as the coil exploded. Lucy's vision blurred as she clamped down hard on his hard cock eliciting her name being moaned breathily, sending another wave bliss through her sensitive body. Cristoff rested his forehead against hers, breathing heavily before kissing Lucy's lips tenderly.

"I don't think I will ever get tired of that," Cristoff smiled into her shoulder as Lucy giggled.

"Well I would hope not after two rounds," she giggled again when Cristoff rolled his eyes at her. "I'm going to finish rinsing off and then go meditate before calling Draco. I'll see you for breakfast shortly." She kissed his cheek and hopped out of the shower to grab a shower and get dressed in their room. She threw on a loose pair of shorts and a racerback tank top before heading down to the beach, wanting to be in an open space by the water. She knew most of the household would be sleeping or just waking up, but after a rather active shower, she was brimming with energy. She found a decent sized rock, crossing her legs and taking deep, calming breathes to find her center and clear her mind.

Lucy could hear muffled noises coming from somewhere which was odd, she had never been able to hear anything other than her spirits before. She delved deeper wanting to know what the sound was that she was being drawn too. Following the sound, she found that it divided into to strings, one distinctly female and the other male. She heard screaming, saw flashes of light then there was nothing but faint sobbing and whispered 'I'm sorry, so so sorry.' Lucy gasped for air as she fell off the rock from the intensity of the . . . vision, or whatever it was that she had witnessed.

Lucy? Are you alright? Kaleb's voice echoed in her mind as she was trying to make sense of what just happened. I am alright, just not entirely sure what happened. Lucy shared what she had seen with Kaleb and could feel his hesitation to tell her what she was missing. Kaleb? Kaleb, what's going on? She stood up and started making her way to the estate. We have a situation. We'll discuss with the other slayers once you are back for breakfast.

"Lucy," Draco appeared beside her as she continued on her path. "Queen Sydelle has teamed up with King Karadin. The King is after Zen, Cristoff, and Laxus for the gladiator pits while Sydelle is after you and Kaleb in particular. I am sure anyone else from the Tatsu would be added to the mix as well."

"But why? I don't understand why she wanted us in the first place," Lucy huffed in annoyance. "And how do you know this?"

"The stars in my constellation are also my informants and will do my bidding, and now yours. I sent them out after an incident shortly before and after your mating challenge with Cristoff last night. Only you have the ability to find someone from the Tatsu," Draco stopped before they entered the house. "You need a level head for this Princess. Freak out once the Master of White Sea has told you the news and then pull yourself together. Good luck and I'll be here when you need me," he kissed her brow and left her to rally her spirits.

"What's going on?" Lucy asked walking into the room of dragon slayers, Pradesh men, and their significant others. They were all looking at one another while slowly backing away from the celestial mage as she pinned her glare on Kaleb. "You called me here, so you better explain."

"We have two missing mages. One from Fairy Tail and the other from the White Sea," Kaleb stated with a serious face. "They were abducted before and after your mating last night. Presca is following their magic signatures as we speak, we just don't know who took them and for what reason."

"Draco said that it was King Karadin and the Joyan WarQueen Sydelle. The stars in his constellation act as spies when he needs them to be, so he had these two mages tracked to a location. I will hopefully have that information from Draco soon, but there is one question no-one has answered. Which two mages were taken?"

"Luce," Natsu stepped up to field this question because he would be able to deal with her outburst, "it was Beck and Wendy." Natsu was waiting for Lucy to start yelling and screaming or break down crying. He wasn't ready for the calm, quiet Lucy which was by far the worst yet because she locked down her emotions and dealt with the problem at hand. He hadn't seen her since Alvarez but also knew that she'd find a way to retrieve their family and kick ass as well. Lucy walked into Natsu's warm embrace and let him hold her as a few tears fell. This was her moment to freak out but she needed to be strong for everyone here and would do so with Cristoff once it all sunk in.

"Thanks Natsu," she smiled a little at her best friend. "Farron. Arman. Would this be considered an act of war?"

"Unfortunately not," Farron said with a deflated outlook. "Neither country has caused any harm to us in Bosco, so we are unable to do anything right now."

"What about when Lucy was captured and taken to Caelum? Surely we could find a way to help the governing body there with their needs," Ayala inquired from her spot on Bickslow's lap.

"Brilliant my dear!" Arman exclaimed with a light in his eyes. "They attacked Firorian and Boscan citizens on Caelum territory which resulted in civilian casualties and destruction of their city. Freed can you contact Princess Hisui, Farron give out esteemed King a shout, and I will call King Aiden of Caelum. We will get this all sorted out and with our three countries working together we'll save Wendy and Beck."

"Kaleb and Laxus I will leave the two of you to coordinate mages and military. Levy, I need you to work with Leo to create a pocket of space where all pregnant women and children can remain safe during this battle. I would also prefer a mother or father figure to stay behind in case something goes wrong, but that decision is ultimately up to you," Lucy began to check things off in her head. "Draco says he'll have the schematics of the hideout from his stars shortly, so then we can work on a plan of attack. It'll need to be on two fronts. They'll expect us to attack Joya, which I am presuming Karadin will be counting on so that he can take the mages he deems worthy while the country is weak. We should be prepared for some beserkers as well, which I have an idea that Virgo and Grandpa Crux working on for us. Did I miss anything?"

"I'll let the Knights know what is going on and ensure that our airships are ready to go at a moments notice," Cristoff said as he rested a hand on Lucy's shoulder, who leaned into his warmth and strength. "We'll bring them back in one piece!"

* * *

Wendy woke up in her cell, alone, as the events if the last twelve or so hours came rushing back to her. She had told the rest of her Tatsu to go ahead without her while she dealt with her exceed. Carla was being a huge cock block! She had insisted on sleeping with Wendy when she had heard of the events at the club which was putting a huge strain on the young dragoness's romantic life. She'd only been able to kiss Beck once since the morning after the club and she wasn't even allowed to hold his hand when Carla was around. Beck was beyond patient with all of Carla's stupidity but Wendy wasn't going to let her ruin this for her. She knew that tonight's pull of the challenge would end with her mating Beck and she wanted nothing more. The beast mage had already accepted that she needed to dominate him and was looking forward to seeing this new side of Wendy.

There had been a lot of yelling between Wendy and Carla and in the end, Wendy used a spell to create an airlock around the exceed. She felt a tiny bit guilty for doing so but her dragon wasn't even the slightest bit bothered by it. She was propelling herself through the trees using her magic under her feet to get to the challenge in time. The bluenette wasn't expecting to thrown to the ground by a powerful fire attack or immediately tied in magic canceling rope. She was bound, gagged, and blindfolded as they disappeared from Bosco. She had woken up tied to chair as some women whipped Beck. She had cried and screamed for him, apologizing for everything. Wendy had broken the chair and stabbed the woman in the neck that was causing her mate harm. With her magic restored she worked to heal the large man's back as quickly as possible.

"What happened to you?"

"The Joyans wanted me to breed them but nothing they did was enough to arouse me because they aren't you." Wendy smiled, kissing his cheek as she continued to heal him. "When I didn't respond they decided I needed to be punished before I was sent to Pergrande. We're bait for our family and each head of the country wants someone for their evil purposes. I did overhear that they wanted a 'pure' celestial mage and the Queen was quite pissed when she heard that Lucy had mated."

"Why Lucy though? I know enough about Karadin to understand his motives."

"Sydelle was once a celestial mage, according to the whisperings I have heard. If she kills a pure celestial mage then she can absorb her magic and practice again."

"So Sydelle thinks that she needs a virgin celestial mage? Well, that's just stupid," Wendy said with an eye roll and continued on when Beck looked at her confused. "Lucy wouldn't need to be a virgin to be pure. In this instance it's meaning us 'pure' magic, someone's that hasn't that hasn't been tainted by evil."

"I'm assuming that's where the Light of Fairy Tail reference comes from?"

"That's part of it. It also has a lot to do with Lucy's personality as a whole too." Wendy finished healing Beck as he scooped her into his arms to hug the small slayer. "We need to find a way out of here and get this magic canceling collar off of you."

"What do we have here?" a snide male voice rang through the room. "The Queen will not be happy to know that one of her servants has been killed. Peacefully return to your cells or else there'll be trouble."

"Never!" Wendy yelled as she stood her ground beside her mate.

"Have it your way," the mage's hand glowed as Wendy and Beck were slammed into the floor. "You'll never escape my gravity magic."

"You . . . you're one of the bastards that captured Lucy," Beck snarled as he connected the pieces.

"Correct. She'll come running save her family sooner or later, so we just need to keep you both alive until then." Wendy could see spots from how hard she was being pressed into the stone floor, passing out shortly afterward. Wendy had no idea where Beck was, no way to contact her team, and no idea where they were at. She pulled her kneed up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them, and proceeded to cry. Now that she had been captured she wasn't sure how Lucy handled it, especially how frequently it happened. Wendy cried herself back to sleep, hopeful for some kind of an epiphany when she woke up.

* * *

 **Nearing the end of this pic with only 2-3 chapters left depending how long I make them. Thanks for sticking with me through this first fic xoxo**


	30. Chapter 29

Lucy sat staring out the window of the airship as the started to fly toward Joya. The WarQueen had built a fortress at the base of a small mountain that was heavily guarded by her Amazonian warriors and mages. This wasn't going to be an easy task but it was one that they needed to win at all costs. Rescuing Wendy and Beck and taking out Sydelle and Karadin was a top priority, especially since they had been given the green light by the three rulers of Fiore, Bosco, and Caelum. Lucy was nervous though, knowing that Sydelle was still after her for some nefarious plan and not knowing much more about it. That had her on edge. There hadn't been any attacks on her person from Joya since they had defeated Sorano, which had Kaleb suspicious about what they'd be facing.

Vander, Rogue, and Gajeel had all volunteered to take a peek at the stronghold and report back when they were able to. Three mages who could travel the shadows were a huge advantage at this point in the game and all necessary mages had been recruited for this job. Lucy remembered the teary goodbyes as her family suddenly became divided. Most of the women had stayed behind with the children, or because they were pregnant, and had been safely hidden in a pocket of the celestial realm where time would flow regularly. Jellal and Erza were one of two couples who were both going to be part of this battle, leaving their daughter in Bisca's capable hands. The second pair shocked her though. She wasn't expecting Gray and Juvia to both becoming but after some very carefully laid out plans it was obvious they'd both be needed. Noelani was being looked after by Kinana until their return, to the delight of the purple haired mage. Mira had wanted to participate but Kaleb had convinced her otherwise, in the bedroom. Lucy snickered when Mira had told her that Kaleb had tricked her by denying her orgasm until she accepted to stay behind to look after Keira. Farron was staying behind with Alto and Dorian and was going to be watching over the last egg wasn't quite ready to be hatched.

Lucy knew that the dragon slayers were a little on edge after being separated from their mates, but were more so relieved that they would be safe and protected along with the children. Her spirits were all eager to protect Lucy and her Tatsu, even Libra, Pisces, and Ophiuchus had come out on their own magic to form temporary contracts with Lucy. They wanted to ensure that this battle would be the last one for a very long time, plus it would protect their keyholder in the long run. The Spirit King agreed to the terms on the temporary contract, giving Lucy and Yukino his blessing. The twelve zodiac keys would be all together for the second time in history under one master, even it was only for a couple of days. The first time being a couple days ago when Lucy used the keys to claim her mate.

"Blondie, we're approaching the mountain ranges. Vander, Gajeel, and Rogue have just returned as well. Let's head in to see what they have found out and get this shot over with." Lucy smiled at the blonde man and followed him into the strategy room where the main mages involved were waiting. She took a seat beside Cristoff and Bickslow, waiting on edge to hear the news.

"They are heavily armed with poisons that their alchemists have created, but most of them are not mages. These poisons are different varieties of immobility, not meant to kill though," Vander stated as he started off the conversation. "Ever person has magic canceling ropes or cuffs on their person plus the entire main floor of the mountain is booby-trapped. We're talking step on the wrong stone and a huge ass ax will decapitate you kind of traps. Thankfully I wasn't alone."

"All their toys were made of metal, so I had a nice snack while on patrol." Gajeel smirked at the table, "And what I couldn't eat Vander requiped for me later. Most of the weapons were made of pure iron so no way in hell I was giving that up."

"What metalhead couldn't eat or have stowed away we were able to destroy, so the main floor has been cleared. Now," Rogue pointed to two spots on the map that Draco's constellations had gotten to them, "Wendy is being held in a cell in the West end here, while Beck is being prepped to breed WarQueen Jemna. The alchemists have prepared an extremely potent lust drought that will easily affect any man in this room."

"I got a whiff of that shit and was instantly hard. Can only imagine what it'll do once it's in Beck's system," Vander commented. "Neither of them have been physically hurt."

"But," Gajeel interjected, "They plan on mating Beck in front of Wendy and I don't know if half pint will be able to handle that."

"So then we need to change our strategy a bit," Kaleb contemplated what to do with the news that had been given to him. "What about Sydelle?" The three men looked at one another and then at Lucy.

"Spit it the fuck out," Bickslow said while waving his hand around. "It's obviously nothing good." Gajeel sighed before answering.

"Sydelle and the dark mages from Lucy's rescue have been sitting in the throne room. They were talking about getting the purity ceremony ready, but that was all I could hear."

"So then we need three fronts then? Cobra will need to be on one team while Gemini Cobra will be on another, that way the poisons won't affect our mages. Then the third team will need to head to the throne room," Lucy suggested to the room. "Who do you want on each team?" Lucy looked to Laxus and Kaleb waiting to hear who they thought would work well together.

"Here are my ideas for team B, C, and D. A has already been deployed and will join us the moment they have completed their task," Kaleb smiled as he looked around at the rest of the group. "Since there seem to be no objections we will be following this plan." They listening intently as Kaleb spoke, with Laxus and Lucy throwing in some input every now and again. If everything went according to plan they'd all be back on the airship before the end of the day.

* * *

"Why do I have to wear this crap?"

"We are infiltrating the coliseum in Pergrande's capital flamebrain," Gray whisper yelled at Natsu. "Zen is leading us directly to Karadin so that we can take him out but in order to do that we need to blend in." Cancer had changed everyone's hair color to mud brown before team A had left to take down the Pergrandian King and whatever was left of the gladiator pits. Gray and Zen were dressed as guards that were moving the 'new slaves' in for assessment and duty assignments. Cancer had been able to cover up Zen's tattoo with ample amounts of make-up while being the one who was navigating them within the corridors. He didn't want to be back here for the third time, but also knew he was the only one who knew anything about the layout and day-to-day operations.

"Can't I blow everything up yet?" Gray rolled his eyes while Sting and Zen just smirked. Oh, there'll be a whole bunch of things being blown up when they were through.

"Patience Natsu," Zen reassured the eager man. "You'll have a shit tonne of opportunity to raize this hell hole to the ground."

"Not really my strong suit," mumbled the fire slayer as the men all laughed. Team A consisted of Zen, Gray, Natsu, Sting, Jellal, Cristoff, Thane and Orga, powerhouses in their own rights that would draw the eye of the King. Each mage would be assessed to see how they did against another gladiator of moderate ranking, the winner would be placed in the cages for the King to take first pick. Virgo had rigged up fake magic canceling cuffs and collars for everyone to wear that were exact replicas of what was currently being used.

"Just remember you CAN'T use magic during the fights Natsu. We need to be stealthy and stick to the plan," Jellal couldn't stress that enough while praying to Mavis that he'd listen for once in his life. "We're about to enter. Remember your roles and DO NOT give anything away. This is for our family gentlemen." With Jellal's last words they entered the heavily guarded compound and waited for the moment to put the plan into action.

* * *

Wendy was sitting in her dank cell, listening to everything around her. She had smelled Gajeel earlier and couldn't help the bubble of hope that had risen knowing that her family was coming to their rescue. It also slightly terrified her because she had heard Queen Sydelle's plans for Lucy and needed to tell someone, had to save her sister. She was straining her hearing trying to pick up on any more details that may help her mate and Lucy, so far nothing else was being relayed.

"Did you hear what Queen Sydelle has in place for when she is finally able to sacrifice the celestial mage's blood?" Wendy overheard two guards speaking to one another.

"I haven't, but I imagine it'll be something glorious."

"Glorious indeed. Once she kills the woman and her blood has filled the chamber the Queen will be able to bestow magic powers to any of her people. She has been compiling a list of worthy warriors. It'll be announced once her powers have returned and she has mated with the Master of White Sea."

"That is wonderful news indeed! How does she plan to accomplish this though?"

"Her favorite alchemist has that lust potion already but she also created a one that'll block mind controlling abilities. He'll be easy to subdue since all of the mages with her taken the potion. His magic will have no effect on her and will easily succumb to their power so that magic canceling cuffs can be placed on his neck, wrists, and ankles. Our Queen will reign over all of Joya while having White Sea at her feet with its master on a leash." The two women cackled as the continued past Wendy's cell, who was pretending to be sleeping. She needed to get out of her cuffs and find her family, this was too damn important for her to sit here waiting to be rescued. She had been building up small amounts of magic power the last couple days and was hoping that if she could blow a concentrated stream of air at the metal cuffs on her wrists that it'd be enough to break them, or at the very least damage them so that she could break them herself.

The bluenette sucked in a breath of air before blowing a steady stream at her cuffs, watching as they started to crack. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to completely destroy them and no matter how much she tried to pull her hands apart they wouldn't budge. She slumped to the floor feeling slightly defeated. She could feel frustrated, desperate tears gathering in her eyes and angrily wiped them away with the back of her hand. Wendy refused to be seen weak to anyone who might come past her cell. She was a powerful dragon slayer and once she was out of her prison she'd show them all why they should fear a sky dragon! Wendy felt a warmth beside her, scrambling to stand up and see what was happening.

"Leo!" Wendy squealed as she saw the lion spirit come through his gate. "What are you doing here?"

"Lucy sent me to retrieve you while they are making their way through the first floor. The plans we had were quite descriptive so it was easy enough to find your cell thanks to the shadow triplets." Loke smiled at Wendy who laughed at the men's new nickname, compliments of Lucy she was sure.

"What's the plan?"

"I am going to take you to where Beck is. Cobra is going to purge the toxins from his body and you'll need to heal your mate." Loke's hands started to glow as he melted the cracks of her cuffs enough that she could shatter them on her own. He then used his Regulus Impact to break down the door and ushered Wendy to follow him. They had only made it a few steps when the lion was being pulled back, a serious look on her face.

"I can smell Beck from here and will find him on my own. You need to find Lucy and Kaleb and warn them." Wendy proceeded to tell him everything she had found out while being a prisoner. To say that Loke was pissed would be an understatement, but was thankful for the intel. "Get going. I'm sure I'll meet up with Cobra and the others soon. Good luck!" Wendy raced down the halls towards where she could smell Becks freshly cut grass and oak tree scent. When she entered the room she saw Cobra with his teeth in Becks forearm, Laxus was frying a few of the guards, Vander was pulling several into the shadows, and Erza was slicing her way through people in her Heaven's Wheel armor. Wendy heard Beck groan as he began to sit up, barely registering the fact that someone coming to attack her from behind. He hair flashed pink as she kicked the woman through the next wall before delivering a Sky Dragon Roar down the hall, collapsing it so that no one else would be attacking from that direction.

"Hey beautiful," Beck smiled at his mate as her hair returned to blue, bracing himself as she launched herself into his arms. The moment she touched him she started healing him, while the other three mages just smiled at the scene.

"Wendy we need to keep moving. When team C realizes you are not in your cell they will continue forward. We have two more level to conquer before we reach the throne room," Erza stated in a serious manner.

"Did Leo find you guys?" Wendy asked the four of them, all of which shook their heads. "We need to hurry. Lucy and Kaleb are in major trouble." They all raced out the door, following Laxus who had caught a whiff of Gajeel while Wendy explained their dilemma. With an extra burst of speed, they continued onward, hoping to find the two mages before Sydelle did.

* * *

Natsu had been the last one of the group to fight a level three gladiator, which all of them were facing. Level three were considered seasoned fighters but were only to condition the level six ones. Zen had been a level six so they were all prepared for what they were going to be coming up against. It had taken no more than 5 minutes to pummel his opponent, itching for a fight since they had left the airship and began their trek into the stadium. Presca and Yasmine were waiting back at the airship, with Yasmine casting an invisibility barrier around it and Presca on patrol in case someone got too close for comfort. He snorted when he and Zen had walked in on the two mages fucking in the broom closet. Natsu had spilled his tea all over the floor and Zen was showing him where the mop and bucket were, needless to say, they waited until the two of them were finished. When they left the small space Presca was glaring at the two men while Yasmine looked like a tomato. Natsu couldn't wait to tell Vander all about this AND he had a witness to it, bonus!

King Karadin was walking above them, Natsu could hear the metal grates squeak as several men made their way towards him. He had finished the fastest out of the six mages, wanting to get this over fast and head back to Joya to kick some real ass. He wasn't impressed that they had to fight in loin clothes either and had to tamp down his temper and embarrassment at the situation. Lucy was generally the exhibitionist not him.

"This one," he heard the scratchy voice of the King so he looked up. "I want this one to be my new champion. Have him cleaned up and brought before me immediately. I plan to try to breed him with the brunette before the main event tonight." Natsu had to suppress the shudder that ran through his body. Zen had briefed them all on the plane about the country, but that didn't stop the bile from rising. The men opened the door and drug Natsu to the King's view high about the stadium. He saw the brunette kneeling in the corner staring blankly at him before bowing her head, already defeated.

"Come over here and let me inspect you," King Karadin rose from his throne clapping his hands once as the guards cut the strings of the only piece of clothing he had. "You fight with spirit which will draw crowds and jewel. You will breed the brunette while we watch to ensure you finish within her." Natsu internally flinched as his dragon screamed within, yelling that it'd do no such thing unless it was its mate. He had to wait for the signal, praying to Mavis that Gray would act soon because he was about to come unglued. He pulled the woman to his body and kissed her neck, smirking when he heard Gray's yell Ice Make Canon.

"When I get up you need to run as far away from here as you can," whispering against her ear as her hands stilled on his abs. "There will be no stadium once we are done, so try to get away alive. This is the best I can give you." She licked the side of his neck before whispering 'thank-you' back to him. Zen had entered the room, still posed as a guard to tell the King that they had a traitor in their midsts. Natsu and the woman pretended to be otherwise engaged while waiting for Zen to strike down the man that had imprisoned him for the majority of his life.

"You will gather several beserkers and get that man under control before you bring him to me," ordered Karadin.

"I'll do no such thing you bastard," Zen's wings sprung from his back as he launched himself at the surprised man, sword piercing his heart as he stuck him to the wall. A predatory grin on Zen's face as he exacted his revenge, watching the light fade from the man's eyes. "Let's go Natsu. It's time to reign fire over the rest of this place."

"About damn time!" Natsu grabbed the closest guards pants and threw them on before throwing the fake cuffs to the ground and launching himself to the center of the fight where the others were. Cristoff was destroying the part they had proceeded to rebuild while the others were ensuring that nothing would be left standing. Lightning, ice, fire, shooting stars, and pure white light infiltrated every corner of the place. Zen was flying above them smiling as he watched the place crumble before him, there would be no coming back from this. His father and brother would have a lot of work cut out for them in the future but it was well worth it.

"Get to Thane," Zen yelled at the men as he landed next to Kaleb's right-hand man. "Ready to take us to the ship?" Thane nodded and teleported everyone to the ship to see Presca fighting off several beserkers, while Yasmine was cloaking him in a protective barrier. She was pulling herself in too many directions to grab the devices from Crux and Virgo. "Thane take Jellal and activate the devices. The rest of you will help Presca while I get the jet in the air and remember, they have a three-minute timer before they explode."

"I'm fired up now!" Natsu yelled and took off towards the energy mage followed closely by Gray and Orga. They all knew that these creatures were strong and gave as good as they could, seemingly resilient to all magic attacks. Lucy and her smarts though had figured out a way to stall them so that a killing strike could happen, however, they wouldn't be doing the killing. If these devices worked then Kaleb was going to have Lucy patent the technology so that his mages would be protected going forward. "Fire Dragon Roar! Ice Make Hammer" The Fairy Tail mages were fighting back to back before they heard Jellal's whistle. Thane appeared next to them, dropped the device to the ground before stomping on it, grabbing them men around him and heading into the ship.

"Take up us Zen!" Thane yelled as the devices activated. Turns out that there was a specific high pitched frequency that turned the monstrosities to mush, writhing on the ground in pain. The added bonus to these devices was that they'd self-explode after three minutes, taking the evidence on the machine and those within range with it. The mages were high fiving one another on a job well done, Cristoff healing everyone from their minor injuries.

"You ok Natsu?" They all knew that he'd been picked by the King and he wanted to make sure that the fire slayer was in the right mind.

"I will be. I need to tell Xally what happened, need to know she won't look at me differently. That I love her," the pinkette told them, not caring if it was too mushy.

"She'll understand flametard."

"What'd you say, Gray?" Everyone laughed as the two mages went at it. Cristoff was glad that Gray could distract him enough to forget about everything, for the time being. He didn't like being away from his mate but knew that this team needed a powerful healer in case the worst happened, which made sense considering the country they were in. Thankfully no one had more than a couple bruises. Cristoff suddenly grabbed his head in pain and dropped down to one knee.

"Cris!" Zen yelled, setting the airship on auto-control before rushing to his side. "What's wrong? Did you get hurt?"

"It's not me. Someone is hurting Lucy."

"Get up Cristoff," Natsu hauled the larger man to his feet. "You need to push away the pain so that you can moon jump a couple of us to Joya. I know it'll take a lot of magic, but it's a cloudless night and the moon is out. Not full, thank Mavis. Don't need your looney ass out on the battlefield." Cristoff chuckled as he grabbed Gray and Natsu's shoulders.

"We'll see you in Joya in a little over an hour," Zen smiled at the three men. "Save a piece of the fight for the rest of us."

"Don't count on it," Natsu smirked, fangs showing before white light glowed over the three of them and they disappeared.


	31. Chapter 30

Gemini Cobra was sucking in the poisons around Gajeel and Rogue before carrying on to where Minerva, Cana, Rufus, and Gildarts were at. Once the noxious gases were dissipated Minerva used her spacial magic and swept the three alchemists away, along with their nasty chemicals. They were closing into where they thought Wendy was but so far there was no sign of the bluenette. The next wave of Joyan warriors were coming in through the two doorways surrounding the six mages, making it roughly thirty to six. The six mages stood in a circle backs facing one another as they eyed up their opponents.

"Rufus. Some calculations would be nice right about now," Rogue uttered to the blonde haired mage hoping his memory magic would work in this situation.

"We need to get out the door to the left and keep running that way. The third level's door will be at the end of the hallway," Rufus replied after going over several scenarios. "This door should be heavily guarded but with three specific attacks, it will be cleared out."

"Cana," Gajeel spoke to the brunette on his left, "Think you can give these ladies a little bit of a distraction while Rogue and I get rid of the women by our exit? Everyone else is needed for backup." The brunette whipped out several cards before throwing them into the mass of women and watching them burst into white puffs of smoke. From the smoke very attractive copies of the Pradesh men made their way through the throng of women, kissing and touch anyone within their reach. The women started fighting each other for a chance to breed with the men, so caught up in the lust spell Cana had weaved into her carded men.

Gajeel and Rogue combined their dragon's roar to the women crowding their exit while Minerva and Rufus were blasting some stragglers. They rushed through the doorway, Gildarts pausing to bring down the wall so the women were all trapped within. They ran down the corridor until they found two very large doors with another dozen or so soldiers blocking the narrow path. Rufus nodded to Minerva who placed her hand on the wall, pushing her power into it until it became a doorway of sorts, while Rufus explained what the last two mages needed to do. Cana threw a card to the left of the Joyan women, snapping her fingers to activate the card and causing hurricane winds to blow the women into wherever Minerva opened a portal too. Gildarts stepped up and used his crash magic to break down the ten foot, thick wood doors.

Rogue took to the shadows to take a peak within while they waited for the rubble and dust to settle. He looked around the empty room and found there were another two doors, but couldn't help but smirk. "All clear!" The rest of his team joined him as they waited quietly, hearing several heavy footprints fast approaching them. "No need to worry as this should be Team B." Sure enough, Laxus exploded the door with his lightning as the mages walked through after him.

"What's up metal dick?"

"Not much lightning prick. Glad to see you found half pint on your way here. Any idea where our last team is?"

"Captured," Loke popped through his gate. "They made it here before all of you did thanks to Lucy gating them here, however, they were overwhelmed by the mages Queen Sydelle had with them."

"Not entirely," Bicklsow flew down from high up in the rafters. "Cosplayer has a plan, one that we are all heavily against but it was the only thing we could come up with. Loke made it back with the news Wendy overheard and we changed things up some. If it makes you feel any better all the mages are lurking behind that door and are our last barrier before we get to Queen Biotch." A bright white light erupted within the room and from it came Natsu, Gray, and Cristoff.

"Someone is hurting my mate, so fill me in on what the hell has been going on."

* * *

Kaleb, Lucy, and Freed had been teleported by Jaccard, the mage she recognized from her previous battles with him. They had fallen into a trap, which had been expected, but they weren't counting on meeting up with Queen Sydelle just yet. They had been hoping they could meet up with the other to take out the five mages she had seduced first. Looking around Lucy noticed that Jaccard was off to the side, his head bent so he was looking at the floor. They didn't have magic canceling cuffs or ropes on them so that had been a bonus for the three of them.

"Welcome Master Kaleb, Lucy and Freed of Fairy Tail," Sydelle elegantly stood from her rose carved seat. "I wasn't expecting you to make it through the compound as quickly as you had, just goes to show you how powerful the two guilds really are. No matter, Karadin will have sent his minions here to help by now so there won't be much left of the ones he hasn't claimed for his pits." Zen _has reached out to me._ Kaleb spoke to his two companions. _They are heading back to the airship after a successful mission, and I doubt she's aware what has all transpired._ Kaleb could feel the two mages smiling back through the mind link, which suddenly started to feel foggy.

"Wh . . . what are you doing to my magic?" Kaleb fell to his knees as Lucy and Freed tried to run to him only to find their feet stuck to the floor.

"Why can't we move?" the green haired man asked confused.

"Simple charms for immobilizing mages that my very talented alchemists had come up with," she bragged to them. "They also concocted a lovely potion that'll keep him out of here." Sydelle tapped a long black matte nail to the side of her head. "While creating a fog so he can't call out for help either, which will eventually put him into a coma of sorts. He will have all his faculties in check but will be unable to defend himself. It will make breeding him so much easier after I have killed Lucy of course." She licked her plump red lips as Kaleb's shoulders started to slump forward. "The rune mage will be bred by a minor Queen who is fascinated with the color of his hair and his intelligence, wants a slice of him for herself."

"We will stop you!" Lucy yelled as brought forth Taurus and Freed was already working on runes to break the charms that had them stuck in place.

"Don't count on it!" Several warriors materialzed in front of her, along with Jaccard. "That man will be mine as he should have been before his father intervened! I will bathe in your pure blood and regain my magic as well as the ability to give my chosen warriors their own abilities. Kaleb will fall under my spell and all of White Sea will be mine. The Pradesh empire will fall at my feet or risk a war of epic proportions." She snapped her fingers and Jaccard was behind Lucy, hauling her from her place only to be chained by her wrists to a rock, her feet dangling below. They were magic canceling chains as well, Lucy was in trouble. She could heat above her and saw blue sparks flying from the top of the column. They traveled down the chain, the electricity coursing through her body as she let out a scream laced with pain. "You will be tortured for your crimes against me in the last battle, then I will take everything from you."

"Hang on Lucy," Freed was flying towards her, his rapier raised to slice the chains. Freed was caught midflight as a piece of rope managed to ensnare one of his ankles, effectively cutting his magic off and having him crash to the floor.

"Noble efforts rune mage," Sydelle walked down the stairs, heading towards Kaleb while listening to Lucy's screams. She would win this day!

* * *

"So we have five dark mages against at least a dozen of us? I like those odds," Natsu commented as he fist bumped Gray.

"The leader is a powerful illusionist," Cobra explained. "We walk through those doors we won't know what we're walking into. I could be one large elaborate plan or we could be stuck in our own worlds."

"Rufus and Minerva will give us an edge due to their types of magic, plus we have several dragon noses," Erza commented. "We need to defeat them so that we can rescue Lucy, Kaleb, and Farron. It's obvious that she's hurting Lucy in some way by the pained looks on Cristoff's face."

"Then we stick to what we know," Natsu said with flaming fists. "We charge in head first and attack with everything we have until our family is rescued."

"The only one needing to stick to any plan is the one Bickslow is privy too," Laxus nodded his head at his best friend. "We go in and kick ass, no matter what!" Cheers erupted from the mages gathered. "Gildarts if you will please do the honors." The crash mage smiled before kicking down the remaining door and strutting through them. They walked in, in groups of two and ready for whatever might be thrown at them. None of them were expecting to be walking into the middle of a forest though.

"He's gotten better than last time," Cobra spoke to the group. "Last time there were no sounds or smells but it seems he learned. I can still smell his magic signature though, so this is definitely an illusion. Whatever comes our way will pack a punch and their weapons are very fuckin real."

"I can distort it," Minerva whispered to Erza who she was walking beside. "I am going to need time to rip through it though."

"Laxus. Rogue. You're with me protecting Minerva while everyone else tries to find the dark mages. We have been given the go-ahead to kill them, so keep that in mind during this battle."

"Oh Red, you just made my damn day!" Vander chuckled while he slinked into the shadows followed by Gajeel.

"Give the shadow dicks a couple of minutes," Laxus grumbled. "They'll drag someone to us soon enough. No use walking through the illusion if we don't have too."

"Thousand jewel says Vander shows up with one of them first," Cana smirked to the group. "Any takers? No . . . well, aren't you all a bunch of fun suckers."

"The only fun sucking I want is your pretty lips around my cock once we get home," he kissed Cana's cheek as he threw one mage to the ground.

"Show off," Gajeel uttered as he threw the second man to the ground. "Smell like water and wind mages to me. What do we want to do with em?"

"Wait," Wendy voiced, "Where did you find them?"

"They were hiding on the other side of the illusion," Vander shrugged his shoulders. "Weren't even trying that hard." Erza and Gray tied the men up with magic canceling rope after Laxus had shocked the two men. "Well that was boring as fuck," Vander whined.

"We still have the damn gravity mage," Cobra glared out to the forest.

"My reputation proceeds me I see," the gravity mage stepped out from a clump of trees. "You can call me Zorn since this will be the last face you all see." He raised his hands as half the mages her slammed into the mossy earth and the others were slammed into rough tree trunks. He cackled loudly before ramping up his magic some, watching as noses started to bleed. "Poor little fairies what are we going to do with you now? I know some lovely ladies who would adore a chance to fuck some of you senseless, maybe turn you into slaves with some succubus venom. Doesn't that sound lovely." The mages groaned loudly as Zorn walked through them cackling as he'd randomly kick the ones on the ground.

"Glad you saved out asses Zorn," Stav said as he walked next to Chara, approaching the gravity mage.

"Well if you shitheads were doing a better job then I wouldn't have had to jump in so soon."

"Fuck off," Chara rolled his eyes. "We've got them all surrounded, so now what?"

"We do as the boss lady says and start tying them up so they can be hauled off to the WarQueens of Joya," Zorn excitedly answered. "So looking forward to this after the last run-in we had."

"Do we get to have any fun with them first? There's a couple of fine ladies I wouldn't mind fucking before we send them off to be slaves," Stav was looking at Minerva's curves with lusty eyes.

"No. These mages go straight to the cells and Queen Sydelle will let us know if we can have fun then. Do not incur her wrath," Zorn glared at his two guildmates, both of which shuddered. "We'll start with the little blue haired chick. She's young enough to not put up much of a fight, but if she does then we'll just have to inflict some pain." The three men laughed when some of the fairies started calling out Wendy's name. "Pathetic." The three men circled the bluenette, kneeling on the ground so they could get the ropes around her wrists and ankles.

"Idiots," Wendy whispered while smirking at Zorn.

"What did you say you lil bitch?" Stav kicked her in the side while Beck roared from his spot on the tree. "This your whore? Maybe I should fuck her right in front of you and see how you . . ." Suddenly the three mages surrounding her started to grab at their necks, gasping for air. The first one to pass out was the gravity mage, already using so much of his magic against a substantial amount of powerful mages. The gravity magic was released as everyone started to stand up, they looked over to Stav and Chara to see them bleeding from their nose and ears before promptly passing out.

"What the fuck was that?" Laxus shouted.

"I sucked the air out from around them causing the pressure to decrease," Wendy stated rolling onto her back. "With the thinning of the air in the bubble I created the couldn't get enough oxygen and passed out."

"Damn half pint! Not bad, not bad at all," Gajeel went to pull her up when Wendy's hand stopped him.

"That kick broke a couple of ribs."

"I've got you Wendy," Cristoff's hands glowed white as the scent of mint filled the area. "Two broken and another fractured. I suggest you head back to the airship because you're still going to need a couple days rest."

"I've got her," Beck easily scooped Wendy up, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'll take her back once we're out of this damn illusion."

"Everyone to the center. Dragon slayers circle around them," Cristoff ordered the group. "We're all going to dragon roar our way out of this damn illusion. There's no way he can dodge all-out attacks. I don't care how out of control you get as long as no one inside the circle is injured."

"Fuck ya!" Natsu hollered, jumping in excitement. The six slayers gathered around their comrades, Wendy being supported by her mate, and called out their individual roars. There was a scream of pain as Tobit fell from the top of one of the trees after being clipped by Cristoff's attack. Erza was instantly over there sword pressed to his throat as Cana was tying the man up, the illusion falling the minute the rope was secure.

"What do we do with the three of them now?" Gray asked the group. "We can't leave them here and Virgo isn't here to . . . FUCK!"

"You called Mister Gray?"

"Dammit Virgo! Why do you always have to scare the ever living piss outta me?" The spirit just stared blankly at the ice mage.

"I am here on my own power to assist you so that you can assist Princess. The WarQueen has her pinned to a column and is electrocuting her, Mister Freed has been tied up with magic canceling rope, and Master Kaleb is under some sort of magic that has left him unprotected. There are roughly thirty warriors in the chamber ahead with the queen getting ready to breed with Kaleb. I must return." Virgo vanished along with the four mages in a cloud of smoke.

"We rescue all of them by any means necessary," Erza raised her sword into the air before charging through the remaining door. Natsu and Gray were hot on her heels.

"We'll see ALL of you after this battle is over," Wendy smiled to the mages. "Be safe."

"Don't worry half pint, we've got this," Gajeel ruffled her hair before turned to Rogue and Vander. "I think there are a couple of women who need to be afraid of the shadows."

"Now you're speaking my language tin man," Vander cracked his knuckles before disappearing, followed closely by Rogue and Gajeel.

"You and I will head for Lucy," Laxus clapped Cristoff on the shoulder. "I could use a good meal." The two men grinned at each other before charging after those that have already left.

"Well, I guess Freed and Kaleb are up to the rest of us?" Cana sighed before taking off at a sprint, not having to look back as everyone else followed her. When she entered the room the Joyan warriors were holding their own against her friends, obviously these warriors were better trained with more refined skills then the others they had previously faced. Sydelle stood in front of her throne with her hand in Kaleb's hair, pressing a kiss to his neck. Cana shuddered to think about how Mira would lose her ever-loving-shit if she'd been here to witness that.

"You are already too late," Sydelle announced from her place above everyone else. "The Master of White Sea is now mine to command. Bring the men out of the shadows my pet." Kaleb's fists clenched as he tried to deny her request, but his eyes became hollow as he did his queen's bidding. The three shadow mages were forcibly pulled from the shadows, clenching their heads between their hands. "Don't kill them, pet. We have great use for them. It's futile to resist knowing that he can bring every single one of you to your knees because I will it."

"Can you stop him?" Cristoff asked Cobra. He and Laxus had failed to get to Lucy before the queen made her move.

"If I could reach him then yea, but there's no way we can even get close now," Cobra glared at the woman, cursing her for hurting the queen of his tatsu. "What the fuck?" Cobra looked down as the room began to fill with rapidly rising water.

"Juvia," Gray yelled, spinning around trying to find his wife all the while treading water since it was rising higher and higher.

"Water Lock!" Juvia cried as a clear bubble of water surrounded the Joyan WarQueen. "Now Bickslow!" The seith mage flew down on his babies to land in front of the crazed woman.

"Figure Eyes!" Bickslow's eyes glowed green as he brought Sydelle under his spell. "You're good Juvia." The water levels immediately dissipated, leaving a bunch of soaked mages in its wake. "Snake eye, come over here and get that shit outta Kaleb." Cobra raced up the steps and sunk his fangs into Kaleb's forearm taking in his blood. He pulled them out making a disgusted face before biting the opposite forearm with the antivenom.

"Fuck that shit was gross. Three different poison's laced within him, but he'll be fine in a couple of minutes."

"Bicklsow," Leo put his hand on the seith mage's shoulder. "Capricorn and I are here to escort this woman to our prison until such a time she can be tried for her actions."

"She's all yours. Tell pinky to have fun with her punishment," cackled Bickslow before walking over to where Laxus, Gajeel, and Cristoff were helping Lucy down. Laxus was absorbing all of the electricity as Gajeel made a meal of the cuff around her wrists, the minute they were off Cristoff was healing Lucy.

"Hey Cris," Lucy croaked as she tiredly looked up at her mate.

"I am glad you are safe, but that plan was fucking insane! Never again," Cristoff growled before hugging the blonde.

"Needed a backup plan for the original backup plan. This was the best we could do," Lucy muttered.

"Juvia was with the team since the beginning but after receiving the news from Leo we changed strategies. Juvia became one with the water since there was a moat that ran inside the throne room."

"I needed to stay hidden so Kaleb didn't me coming, that way I could catch the evil bitch and free him," Bickslow smiled at his older brother that was just coming too.

"How about we all head back to Pelerno? We will meet up with Team A and Mr. Pradesh to debrief before seeing our families," Jellal suggested, pulling Erza close to him.

"Sounds like a rational idea. I concur with Jellal."

"Homeward bound!" Vander yelled, followed by mass cheering.


	32. Epilogue

The guild was filled with the hustle and bustle of the Harvest Festival that was happening later that evening, which meant that her entire family would all be in Magnolia for the first time since Fairy Tail had been put back on its feet after the defeat of Sydelle and Karadin over a year ago. It was crazy to think about how much had changed since then. There were many births and celebrations that happened between the two guilds, but her favorite memory had to be the hatching of the last egg. It was a week after the final battle, everyone had been healed and rested well because there were a lot of decisions to be made. Many couples were split between two guilds and each person had their own reasons for why they should be at their guild. Lucy had returned to her room after a fight with Cristoff about the announcement of the plans for the Heartfilia Konzern and the dragon slayers. He didn't think that having so many dragon and demon slayer families under one roof would be a good idea due to the differences in magic and personalities. Lucy wanted her tatsu close to her and well protected while others took missions, it wasn't like anyone had to worry about rent they just needed to pay their own bills and pitch in with maintenance. She ended up storming off and had yelled into a pillow for a while.

The soft glowing of the egg drew her attention though, walking up to its perch in the chair surrounded by blankets she placed her hand on it. The egg was ready to hatch but it wanted to find it's own family. Lucy had Virgo create her a backpack to haul the egg around and started with the slayer families, which made the most sense to her. The egg didn't even warm around any of them so she tried her mate's siblings, the same reaction as before so off she went to random Fairy Tail and White Sea mages. Nothing, absolutely nothing. Lucy was feeling disheartened by not being able to help the hatchling so she headed back to the estate to drown her worries in some of Mr. Elan's homemade cheesecake stuffed strawberries. She was on her fifth strawberry when the egg started to pulse and warm randomly, but there was no-one in the kitchen or at the estate as far as she knew. Everyone was at the guild, at the beach, or on a mission . . . everyone except her new Papa. Lucy hauled the egg to Arman's office, knocking on the door before entering where she was greeted with a warm smile.

"What can I help you with Lucy?" his warm voice had her smiling as the egg pulsed rapidly several times in excitement.

"Well Papa, it seems that the last egg would like to hatch," Lucy said with a sly smile on her pink lips.

"Do you need me to call Cristoff or Kaleb? Do we need to head to the mountains again?"

"Draco doesn't need to be here for this hatching. I don't need anyone else other than the two of us in this room." Lucy waited for her words to sink in watching as a look of disbelief crossed his face, then one of pure happiness. He had been feeling a bit lonely and restless lately, wanting to do more with his life. Not to say that his children and grandchildren weren't bringing joy to his life, and there was always willing partners for pleasure, but he'd been feeling a bit . . . empty he supposed. Every one of his children were growing up, starting families and relationships of their own, not needing him as much as they used too. Now there was a precious child that had chosen him to be the father, he was honored and excited. "Are you ready Arman?" Lucy saw him nod his head as she pumped magic into the egg, watching as it began to slowly crack. She pulled the pulled the pieces of shell off, bit by bit and handed it over to Virgo to store in the celestial world, no need for any greedy people to try to get their hands on the diamond hard shells.

Lucy pulled the tiny hatchling from within the shell, holding it so that it could tell her its name and the type of magic it possessed. It was the only form of communication she would receive until they were old enough to talk, walk, and behave like a regular child. "I would like to introduce you to Genevieve. She is three weeks old and her magic is plant manipulation, so I guess she'll be able to get help from Ayala when she's ready to train." Lucy handed her over to Arman who looked awed. Bright blue eyes gazed into her own and he was instantly in love.

"Hello my sweet girl. I'm going to be your new father." She blew bubbles at the older man who just laughed. "We have several mages incoming, Lucy." Cristoff, Kaleb, Vander, and Laxus all appeared in the spacious office with looks of worry.

"Are you both alright? We felt a huge amount of magic here from the guild," Kaleb asked as he looked from Lucy to his father, where his eyes fell on the small child in his arms.

"No need worry. The last egg decided she wanted to hatch now that she'd found her father," Lucy gestured to the Arman with a large smile on her face.

"Damn Dad," Vander said with a grin appearing on his face, "You'll be getting all the action now that you have a baby in your arms again." Cristoff smacked his younger brother over the head while smiling and shaking his head. "Congratulations Dad," the lunar slayer commented happily.

"Alright, all of you shoo," Lucy said as she made a sweeping motion with her hands. "Baby and father need to bond and Arman needs to do some shopping of his own now." She left with the other four men as Arman chuckled over how right she was. Cristoff had grabbed Lucy's hand and took her back to their room to finish their discussion from earlier, apologizing immediately for being an idiot. They sat and talked about how things would work and how the choice was still up to the slayers if they wanted to live there, all of which had agreed to her plan. They had made up in her favorite way too, with her riding them into orgasm bliss.

Mira decided to stay with Kaleb and help him run the guild and took over as the barmaid and cook, missing that part of her old life plus it gave her more flexibility when it came to raising Keira. Kaleb gave the woman anything she wanted, knowing how much she had given up by staying here when both her siblings were in Fairy Tail. Kaleb had promised with Mira a month after everyone went their separate ways and the adoption of Keira had been painless thanks to Arman's expertise. They were now a happy family of three running the largest guild in Earthland.

Farron and Freed had been amazing with Alto and Dorian, Freed opting to stay in Bosco with his new family. The Thunder Legion was officially over but their bonds of friendship were stronger than ever before. They all took turns visiting one another and with Farron marriage to Freed, the rune mage became Hisui's ambassador, meaning they were in Fiore once every two months. Farron was still on the road more often than not but Vander and Presca were always lurking nearby his brother, even with his elite team of Boscan Knights around on his diplomatic missions.

Vander and Cana had also decided to stay in Bosco where he was needed more here than she was in Fairy Tail. She joined White Sea and could often be seen helping Mira around the guild or taking missions with her newly formed team. Her father headed back to Fairy Tail but made a point to stop in every three months or so, whenever he finished a particularly nasty job. Yasmine had hit things off with Presca, finally bedding the energy mage to the amusement of his partner who had cracked endless jokes about how rusty his skills were. Mira, Yasmine, and Cana were known as the Wicked Trio due to Mira's demon side, Cana's ability to sexualize anything, and Yasmine's freakouts and accidentally locking people in barriers.

All of the dragon slayers ended up at the konzern, not that anyone was surprised. Well not until all the slayer babies started popping up within months of each other and Freed was summoned to reinforce the sound barriers around each household. Cobra and Kinana had twin boys along with Rogue and Lisanna while Emzadi and Laxus' twin boys made their arrival a couple months later. Natsu wasn't one to be outdone and his twin came a couple weeks after Laxus' had been born. Xally had given birth to twins as well, one of each gender. They'd found out they were both fire dragon slayers when they had set the fur on Laxus' coat on fire, much to the dismay of the lightning slayer who internally cringed.

Gray and Juvia also settled at the Konzern with Noelani, who had grown so much over the first year. Juvia was pregnant with their next child, both were hesitant about this pregnancy due to what had happened with their first. Wendy and Cristoff had eased their worries though and they would be expecting a healthy baby girl in two months time. Beck and Wendy had mated once the first night they had arrived at the Heartfilia mansion, deciding to wait until they had privacy and Wendy having the confidence do want it. For the month they remained in Bosco they had taken their time to explore each other's bodies to their heart's desire. Wendy still turned red whenever her sex life was the center of attention but Beck always managed to laugh it off and bring her in for a toe-curling kiss to ease her worries.

Gajeel and Levy's twins had hit the terrible two's with a vengeance, neither willing to listen unless Auntie Lucy laid down the law by pulling out her Queen title and growling at the boys. They were also incredibly talkative and had spilled the beans about Levy being pregnant again, a single girl this time and was due around the same time that Juvia was. Sting and Yukino had birthed another set of twin boys a month earlier, with Yukino threatening to castrate her mate if she ended up pregnant before she was ready. Four dragon slayer children under the age of two made for an extremely busy household, but Sting had asked Rufus, Orga, and Minerva to live at the Konzern to help plus they could take jobs as a team again. The Sabers were a welcome addition to the Tatsu, Mira planning some matchmaking schemes when she had last visited.

Erza and Jellal were pregnant with their second child, both opting be surprised with the gender once it was born. The growing family stayed in Fairy Tail but Jellal often went to Bosco when Kaleb called him, needing another light wielding mage. Ayala and Erza had become fast friends. Ayala wanted to see more of the world and so the two of them headed back to Fairy Tail where she became a new member. They were currently planning their Firorian wedding while residing in Bickslow's house. Zen had joined Fairy Tail as well, looking for new experiences and different missions while being close to Bickslow and Cristoff. He had been caught sneaking glances at Minerva the last time he'd come for supper at the Konzern.

The Harvest Festival would encompass the entire week and Lucy had been ready getting the extra rooms at the mansion ready for their guests. Her family in White Sea and Fairy Tail would all be under one roof for the week so she had Virgo and Aries helping her get everything ready. Lucy had called some of the old staff to help everything go over smoothly, which resulted in them being hired fulltime by Cristoff. Lucy was a month away from giving birth to their twin girls so her mate had put his foot down about how much she could do from there on out. Now she watching from the balcony as her family started greeting one another, rubbing her hand on her protruding belly. Smiling what Cristoff kissed her bare shoulder, his hands joining her on her stomach to feel their girls kick. Lucy couldn't have been happier with life, even it had taken some time to get here. She wouldn't trade it for all the stars int he sky.

* * *

This brings us to the end of Alpha Keys! Thanks to everyone who stuck it out with me for my first fanfic, because I know it wasn't the smoothest running story for the first 10ish chapters. I am happy with where it has gone and the journey you've all taken with me to get there. When Lightning Strikes is the current story I am working on, plus Thunder Lucy Week starts on my birthday - October 24th - super pumped for that! I am co-writing Born of Two Lights with GoddessxNyte2 am we will hopefully have chapter 6 up soon. Pradesh Week 2.0 will be coming around Christmas, plus I have 2 other stories I'm developing as we speak that'll start in January 2019! Whoop Whoop!


End file.
